During Gamescom 2025, the world learned that Milestone was working on an all-new arcade racing game titled Screamer. This announcement hit a little closer to home for me than most, as it marks the return — or rather, the reimagining — of a classic PC-only racer from the 1990s that drew heavy inspiration from Ridge Racer and Daytona USA.
After decades of dormancy, Screamer is back, this time with an anime-influenced aesthetic and even fighting-game-inspired mechanics — a combination that immediately made me scratch my head and wonder why Milestone chose this bold new direction.
Thankfully, Milestone’s game director, Federico Cardini, took time out of his busy schedule to talk about Screamer, the studio’s approach to reinventing arcade racing, and how the genre’s past, present, and future all intersect in this ambitious reboot.
Milestone was also kind enough to provide us with access to the Screamer alpha build, which I discussed in our full Screamer preview article. There’s no confirmed release date yet, but based on what I’ve played and my conversation with Federico Cardini, it’s clear the game is in capable hands. This bold new direction for an arcade racer feels exciting, unexpected, and full of potential — especially for someone like me who grew up loving the original title.
