A$AP Rocky's voice lines as a car horn in the upcoming video game Need for Speed Unbound have gone viral. Need for Speed Unbound is the newest entry into the popular long-running racing game franchise Need for Speed. The street-style racing game is just around the corner and is currently scheduled for release this upcoming Friday on December 2nd. At first glance the collaboration with the artist may seem random, but A$AP Rocky has been part of the marketing campaign for this new entry since the reveal trailer.The initial reveal trailer for Need for Speed Unbound included A$AP Rocky in video game form as a character who is the leader of a faction called the Takeover Scene, with some of his music playing throughout the trailer. The visuals for Need for Speed Unbound take heavy inspiration from Hip Hop as the graffiti aesthetic is present in the visuals and hip hop music is featured throughout the soundtrack. The goal seems to be to create an experience that feels expressive. This collaboration with A$AP Rocky is a perfect fit for the creative direction the developers are going for with this release as the artist has become a global success by being expressive in both his music and fashion choices.In the viral video clip, player customization options were shown with one of them being appropriately titled "A$AP." When this horn is selected, Rocky can be heard repeatedly saying "beep beep" as the in-game car horn. The horn option will be included as an upgrade and will cost 2,000 in-game dollars. Earlier trailers also included the A$AP acronym and mantra, "Always $trive And Prosper" as one of the decal options for the in-game cars.
A few weeks ago, the official Twitter account for Need for Speed tweeted the official soundtrack. The soundtrack is stated to be a celebration of worldwide music and offers over 70 tracks from 25 countries including other popular musicians such as: Tyler the Creator, Kaytrananda, Charli XCX, Run The Jewels, Rico Nasty, and more. Needless to say, A$AP Rocky and fellow A$AP members were included as artists featured on the soundtrack as well.
This collaboration is refreshing to see in gaming and a more positive way the series has gone viral as opposed to the recent spat with a fan which resulted in the official Need for Speed Unbound Twitter issuing an apology. Controversy aside, Need for Speed Unbound looks to be a unique entry in the long-running series and is embracing modern musicians to create an experience that gives players a feeling of empowerment and self-expression. There aren't many better ways to display that than having an artist like A$AP Rocky included in the creative process for this game.
Need for Speed Unbound launches December 2 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.