KartRider: Drift News

Season 5 has arrived with a new slate of special events, including a wealth of Lucci to earn just for logging in, new characters to collect, and special prizes to earn on the track!
[h2]Super Moonhill Week Event[/h2]
Join us on the track for Season 5 for Raptor L Balloons, new decals, and the flashy Golden Moon kart!

Event Duration:

• PST (UTC -8): Wednesday, November 29, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Wednesday, December 13, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 14, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 14, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 14, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Details and Challenges:

• Race in KartRider: Drift for the first two weeks of Season 5 to earn a new set of special rewards!
• Challenges will award Mission Points, which unlock bonus rewards.
  • Note: Mission Points are not spent. Earning 300 Mission Points will unlock the 100, 200, and 300 Mission Point rewards.
• Daily Challenge: Complete 1 Race
  • Win or lose, finishing the race will complete this challenge!
  • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
  • Can be completed once per day, resetting at 12:00 AM UTC.
• Ongoing Challenges:
  • Complete 30 Matchmade Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Complete 10 Speed Mode Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Complete 10 Item Mode Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Equip a Raptor L Balloon and complete 10 Match-made Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Complete 5 Time Attack Races on the Moonhill Track:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Complete 10 Mode Lab - Crossover Mode Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
  • Win 5 Mode Lab - Crossover Mode Races:
    • Rewards: 100 Mission Points.
    • Can be completed once during the event.
• Prizes must be claimed before the event ends, and all items sent to the Mailbox must be claimed within 30 days of receipt, or they will expire.

 


Mission Point Rewards:

• 100 Mission Points: 10x Raptor L Balloons
• 200 Mission Points: RP 100% Bonus Ticket (7 Days)
  • RP 100% Bonus Tickets boosts the amount of RP awarded from races.
  • Bonus Ticket begins ticking down once the ticket is delivered to your Mailbox.
  • Bonus Ticket effects will only apply once the ticket has been activated in the [Garage - Items] menu.
• 300 Mission Points: 100 K-COIN
• 500 Mission Points: Moonhill City Guardian Decal and Moonhill Punk Decal
• 600 Mission Points: Golden Moon (Balanced Kart)

 [h2]Daily Reward Event (Season 5 Week 1 - 4)[/h2]
Get the Raptor Brothers, an explosive new decal, a new balloon, and a pile of Lucci just by logging in during the first four weeks of Season 5!

Event Duration:

• PST (UTC -8): Wednesday, November 29, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Wednesday, December 27, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 28, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 28, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 28, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Details:

• Log into KartRider: Drift and go to the Daily Reward screen under Events to claim your prizes!
• Once claimed, prizes will be sent to the in-game Mailbox for you to redeem.
• Prizes must be claimed from this screen before the event ends, and all items sent to the Mailbox must be claimed within 30 days of receipt, or they will expire.
• Skipping a day will not skip any prizes. For example, logging in on Day 1, missing Day 2, and returning on Day 3 will reward you Login Reward 1 and 2. You must login on 14 days during the event to receive all 14 prizes.
• Days begin and end at 12:00 AM UTC.

 


Event Rewards:

• Login Reward 1: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 2: Younger Twin Raptor L
• Login Reward 3: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 4: Demonic Wrath Decal
• Login Reward 5: Older Twin Raptor R
• Login Reward 6: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 7: Shovel Balloon (x10)
• Login Reward 8: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 9: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 10: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 11: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 12: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 13: 500 Lucci
• Login Reward 14: 500 Lucci

 [h2]Weekend Login Event (Season 5 Weeks 1-4)[/h2]
There's more Lucci for you to earn on the weekend in Season 5!

Event Duration - Weekend 1:

• PST (UTC -8): Friday, December 1, 2023 4:00 PM - Sunday, December 3, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Saturday, December 2, 2023 1:00 AM - Monday, December 4, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Saturday, December 2, 2023 9:00 AM - Monday, December 4, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Saturday, December 2, 2023 11:00 AM - Monday, December 4, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Duration - Weekend 2:

• PST (UTC -8): Friday, December 8, 2023 4:00 PM - Sunday, December 10, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Saturday, December 9, 2023 1:00 AM - Monday, December 11, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Saturday, December 9, 2023 9:00 AM - Monday, December 11, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Saturday, December 9, 2023 11:00 AM - Monday, December 11, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Duration - Weekend 3:

• PST (UTC -8): Friday, December 15, 2023 4:00 PM - Sunday, December 17, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Saturday, December 16, 2023 1:00 AM - Monday, December 18, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Saturday, December 16, 2023 9:00 AM - Monday, December 18, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Saturday, December 16, 2023 11:00 AM - Monday, December 18, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Duration - Weekend 4:

• PST (UTC -8): Friday, December 22, 2023 4:00 PM - Sunday, December 24, 2023 4:00 PM
• CET (UTC +1): Saturday, December 23, 2023 1:00 AM - Monday, December 25, 2023 1:00 AM
• JST (UTC +9): Saturday, December 23, 2023 9:00 AM - Monday, December 25, 2023 9:00 AM
• AEDT (UTC +11): Saturday, December 23, 2023 11:00 AM - Monday, December 25, 2023 11:00 AM

 
Event Details:

• Log into KartRider: Drift and go to the Mailbox to claim your Lucci bonus!
• Each Saturday and each Sunday you log in during the weekend will award you with 1,000 Lucci!
  • Days begin and end at 12:00 AM UTC.
• Prizes must be claimed from the event menu before the event ends, and all items sent to the Mailbox must be claimed within 30 days of receipt, or they will expire.

 

[h2]Season Update[/h2]
Season 5 - Moonlight Race Begins:

• Season 5 Duration:
  • PST (UTC -8): Wednesday, November 29, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Wednesday, January 24, 2024 4:00 PM
  • CET (UTC +1): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 1:00 AM
  • JST (UTC +9): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 9:00 AM
  • AEDT (UTC +11): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 11:00 AM
• Time Attack Rankings, Season Best, and other seasonal content will be reset.
• When the season ends, there will be an Off-Season until the beginning of the next season.
• This Off-Season is a rest period until the beginning of the next season, with no season content such as Racing Passes or Daily/Premium Challenges.
• Replays before the start of Season 5 will be reset. 

 
Season 5 Racing Pass

• Complete Daily and Premium Challenges during the Racing Pass period to level up the pass (Max Level: 40)
• Weekly and Event Challenges have also been added for all Racers to help level up your Racing Pass.
• Premium Racing Pass Rewards are available upon purchase of the Premium Racing Pass.

 
Season 5 Decal Market

• The Decal Market will be cleared, and only newly listed Decals for Season 5 can be favorited and downloaded.
• The top 60 most popular decals from Season 4 will be maintained and be on display in the Season 4 Top 60 tab.
• Decals from weeks where the season promotion evaluation was still in progress will also be maintained.

 [h2]Grand Prix Season 5[/h2]

• Grand Prix Active Periods:
  • The KartRider: Drift Grand Prix will be available during the following periods:
    • 1:00 AM - 5:00 AM UTC (4 hours)
    • 10:00 AM - 2:00 PM UTC (4 hours)
    • 6:00 PM - 9:00 PM UTC (3 hours)
• Participation Requirement: B2 License Earned
• Modes: Item Grand Prix (Squad), Speed Grand Prix (Solo)
  • Note: Only solo-queueing is available for both Item and Speed Grand Prix
• The top 100 Racers from the Season 4 Grand Prix in both modes will be added to the Hall of Fame.
• Qualifying Race:
  • Racers who have not joined the Grand Prix during the season will participate in five Qualifying Races.
  • The current season's Grand Prix rank will be determined based on the Qualifying Race results, as well as the previous season's Grand Prix GPP points (Placement Rank: Bronze III - Gold III).
• Racers rank Silver II and below (0 - 1,999 GPP) will earn additional GPP based on their accumulated GPP.
• Changes from Season 4:
  • The rank for which Win Streak Bonuses stop applying has been changed (Grandmaster → Master).
  • Grand Prix Solo Matchmaking has been changed:
    • Races can now start with fewer than 8 Racers, depending on the wait time for matchmaking (minimum of 2).
    • GPP Points changes will be reduced based on the number of matched players, and the Win Streak Bonus criteria have been adjusted as follows:
      • 7-8 Racers: 3rd Place or higher.
      • 5-6 Racers: 2nd Place or higher.
      • 2-4 Racers: 1st Place.
  • Matching Criteria for Squad Item Grand Prix has been expanded to allow for Racers in a greater score range to be matched together, to reduce wait

 
Season 5 Grand Prix Rewards

• When the Grand Prix season ends, rewards will be distributed based on the Racer's place overall and their Grand Prix Rank.
  • Note: Racers must Finish in at least 10 Grand Prix races to qualify for prizes.
  • Rewards are granted based on the highest rank the player achieved in the season, not their final rank.
  • Rewards can be claimed until the end of the Season 5 Off-Season.
• Place Rewards:
  • Item Grand Prix:
    • 1st - 3rd Place: S5 Item Legend Emblem, and added to the Season Hall of Fame for the duration of the next season.
    • 4th - 100th Place: S5 Item Hero Emblem, and added to the Season Hall of Fame for the duration of the next season.
    • 101st - 1,000th Place: S5 Item Special Emblem.
  • Speed Grand Prix:
    • 1st - 3rd Place: S5 Speed Legend Emblem, and added to the Season Hall of Fame for the duration of the next season.
    • 4th - 100th Place: S5 Speed Hero Emblem, and added to the Season Hall of Fame for the duration of the next season.
    • 101st - 1,000th Place: S5 Speed Special Emblem.
• Rank Rewards:
  • Item Grandmaster:
    • 1,000 K-COIN
    • Rose Pirate Kris
    • Hot Sauce Neo
    • Meow Paw Tire Mark
    • Escaping Soul Booster
    • Broken Machine Tobi (Decal)
  • Speed Grandmaster:
    • 1,000 K-COIN
    • Clown (Boost Acceleration Kart)
    • Hot Dog (Balanced Kart)
    • Heart Rate Tire Mark
    • Aurora Booster
    • Speed to the Beach (Decal)
  • Item Master:
    • Rose Pirate Kris
    • Hot Sauce Neo
    • Meow Paw Tire Mark
    • Escaping Soul Booster
    • Broken Machine Tobi (Decal)
  • Speed Master:
    • Clown (Boost Acceleration Kart)
    • Hot Dog (Balanced Kart)
    • Heart Rate Tire Mark
    • Aurora Booster
    • Speed to the Beach (Decal)
  • Item Gold:
    • Hot Sauce Neo
    • Escaping Soul Booster
    • Broken Machine Tobi (Decal)
  • Speed Gold:
    • Hot Dog (Balanced Kart)
    • Aurora Booster
    • Speed to the Beach (Decal)
  • Item Silver:
    • Broken Machine Tobi (Decal)
    • 5,000 Lucci
  • Speed Silver:
    • Speed to the Beach (Decal)
    • 5,000 Lucci
  • Item Bronze:
    • 3,000 Lucci
  • Speed Bronze:
    • 3,000 Lucci
• Rewards will be distributed 24 hours after the season's conclusion.
• Rewards must be claimed prior to the end of the following season, or will expire.
• Racers who placed 1st - 100th in each Grand Prix will be recorded in the Season 5 Hall of Fame.
• Rewards can also be viewed in-game via the [Change Mode - Grand Prix - Item or Speed Grand Prix - Rewards] menu.

 
Season 5 Grand Prix Track Changes:

• Tracks Added to Item Grand Prix (Squad):
  • Moonhill: Lawless Tunnel (★)
  • Moonhill: Mean Streets (★★)
  • Moonhill: Streetcar Run (★★)
  • Graveyard: Altar of Secrets (★★)
  • Factory - Bang and Clang (★★★)
• Tracks Added to Speed Grand Prix (Solo):
  • Moonhill: Central Station (★★)
  • Graveyard: Skeletal Citadel (★★★★)
  • Factory: Trapworks (★★★★)

 [h2]New Content[/h2][h2]Track Updates[/h2]
4 New Moonhill Theme Tracks:

• Moonhill: Lawless Tunnel
  • Difficulty: ★
  • Supported Game Modes: Item and Speed Mode
• Moonhill: Central Station
  • Difficulty: ★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Speed Mode
• Moonhill: Mean Streets
  • Difficulty: ★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Item and Speed Mode
• Moonhill: Streetcar Run
  • Difficulty: ★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Item and Speed Mode

 
2 New Factory Theme Tracks:

• Factory: Bang and Clang
  • Difficulty: ★★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Item and Speed Mode
• Factory: Trapworks
  • Difficulty: ★★★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Speed Mode

 
2 New Graveyard Theme Tracks:

• Graveyard: Altar of Secrets
  • Difficulty: ★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Item and Speed Mode
• Graveyard: Skeletal Citadel
  • Difficulty: ★★★★
  • Supported Game Modes: Speed Mode

 [h2]New Characters[/h2]
Four new Moonhill characters have been added to KartRider: Drift, as well as four visiting friends from BLACKPINK!

[h3]JISOO[/h3]
"We can all win if we do it together!"

JISOO of BLACKPINK is a global superstar who loves singing to her fans. She's going beyond the stage to bring harmony to everyone in KartRider: Drift.

[h3]JENNIE[/h3]
"I was scared at first, but this is really fun!"

JENNIE of BLACKPINK is a global superstar who loves singing to her fans. She's going beyond the stage to present another side to her personality in KartRider: Drift.

[h3]ROSÉ[/h3]
"I'm getting pretty good at this!"

ROSÉ of BLACKPINK is a global superstar who loves singing to her fans. She's going beyond the stage to highlight her skills in KartRider: Drift.

[h3]LISA[/h3]
"Keep trying and you'll get better in no time!"

LISA of BLACKPINK is a global superstar who loves singing to her fans. She's going beyond the stage to show off her style in KartRider: Drift.

[h3]Mayor Zipi[/h3]
"I am but a humble servant to the people of Moonhill City. Yes... a servant..."

Underneath the mayor of Moonhill's pleasant appearance is a supervillain unlike any other! He turns the very best racers into his own personal R-Men.

[h3]Viktor[/h3]
"Mwahaha! ...Don't touch my hair!"

The villainous head of Black Company has set his sights on world domination! If only he could do something about his hair.

[h3]Raptor L[/h3]
"I'll handle it this time, brother!"

He's an unstoppable man of action, but all he really wants is to be recognized by his older twin, Raptor R. Sadly, his rash nature gets in the way of that.

[h3]Raptor R[/h3]
"Viktor, I've got a plan!"

The second-in-charge at Black Company, he's much more cool-headed than his little brother, Raptor L. Too bad he always has a runny nose.
[h2]Bonus Tickets[/h2]

• Consumable Bonus Tickets have been added:
  • These tickets are consumable items which will, for a set duration, increase the amount of RP and/or Lucci awarded from Races for as long as they remain active.
  • Once acquired, Bonus Tickets are placed in the [Garage - Items] menu.
  • Bonus Tickets are Inactive when acquired, and they will not have any effect until they are Activated in the Items menu by using the "Use Item" button.
  • The Time Limits for Bonus Tickets will activate immediately on being acquired, regardless of if the ticket is activated or deactivated.
  • Only one Bonus Ticket can be active at a time.
  • If an additional Bonus Ticket of the same kind is acquired, the remaining time limits of the two tickets are added together.
  • Available Bonus Tickets are:

 [h2]Changes and Improvements[/h2][h2]Game Mode Changes[/h2]
Mode Lab

• The special Game Modes in the Mode Lab will be available on a rotating schedule, with each mode being available for two weeks before being rotated out.
• The Mode Lab Schedule for Season 5 is:
  • Crossover Mode (Squad): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, December 14, 2023 12:00 AM UTC
  • Flag Mode (Squad): Thursday, December 14, 2023 12:00 AM - Thursday, December 28, 2023 12:00 AM UTC
  • Infinite Boost Mode (Solo): Thursday, December 28, 2023 12:00 AM - Thursday, January 11, 2024 12:00 AM UTC
  • Crossover Mode (Solo): Thursday, January 11, 2024 12:00 AM - Thursday, January 25, 2024 12:00 AM UTC
  • Infinite Boost Mode (Squad): Thursday, January 25, 2024 12:00 AM - End of Season 5 Off-Season
• Crossover Mode (Squad):
  • As in Squad Speed Mode, Squad Crossover Mode includes a Team Boost Gauge, which converts Boosts into Team Boosts once the Gauge is filled.
  • Big Bananas and Angel Armor now appear in Squad Crossover Mode. The full list of items available is:
    • Angel Armor (NEW!)
    • Big Banana (NEW!)
    • Banana
    • Barricade
    • Booster
    • EMP Wave
    • Lightning
    • Magnet
    • Mine
    • Missile
    • Seeker Missile
    • Siren
    • UFO
    • Water Bomb
    • Water Wisp
  • The following tracks have been added to Crossover Mode:
    • Desert: Riddling Ruins
    • Factory: Bang and Clang
    • Factory: Trapworks
    • Forest: Waterfall Slide
    • Forest: Woodsy Way
    • Forest: Zigzag Timberland
    • Glacier: Extreme Stadium
    • Graveyard: Altar of Secrets
    • Mine: Gold Rush
    • Moonhill: Lawless Tunnel
    • Moonhill: Mean Streets
    • Moonhill: Streetcar Run
    • Village: Breezy Park
    • WKC: Singapore Circuit
    • World Tour: New York Rally
    • World Tour: Rio de Ja-nitro
• Infinite Boost Mode is no longer available as an official primary mode.
  • Infinite Boost is now periodically available through the Mode Lab.
  • Infinite Boost can also be selected for Custom Races.
  • Infinite Boost match counts have been removed from [Profile - Today's Races].
• Matchmaking Options have been changed:
  • The "Racers + AI" option has been removed.
  • AI players will be added when matchmaking time is delayed when searching under the "Racer" option.
    • A separate notification message will be displayed when AI players are added.
  • If you level-up past Lv. 20 or have a 3-win streak, the Matchmaking Option will automatically default to "Racers".
• Duo Mode has been removed.

 
License Mode

• The scoring requirements for certain License Missions have been updated.
  • These changes are not retroactive, only attempts that occur after the Season 5 Update will count towards the updated scores.

  Training Course

• Rewards have been added to each Training Course Mission. These rewards are sent immediately upon completion of the Training Course.
  

 [h2]UI and UX Changes[/h2]

• The Lobby Menu has been updated, removing and re-positioning some buttons:
  
  • Profile and Mailbox buttons have been removed, with the Mailbox now integrated into the Social menu.
  • Lobby and Challenges buttons have been added.
  • Characters, Rotate Kart, and Quit buttons have been removed.
  • The Profile and Quit options are now available under the Menu.
• Changes have been made to the Garage menu:
  
  • The Livery menu has been moved into its own dedicated sub-menu of the Garage.
  • Selecting a Kart or Character will now immediately allow you to change the selected item, and upgrades and other options are also available in this menu.
  • The Character menu now also allows you to select Emojis.
    
  • In the Item menu, you can now view and use consumables, such as "Lucci Bonus Tickets".
  • The [Garage - Karts] UI now scrolls vertically through your collection of karts.
  • Any newly acquired items will now appear at the top of the list the first time they're seen in the menu, to make it easier to find them.
  • A Sort function has been added to the Change Kart and Change Outfit menus, allowing the list to be sorted by Grade (Highest/Lowest) or Season (Most Recent/Least Recent)
• Game Mode Selection UI has been updated to better organize the ways to race:
  
  • Normal Modes: Item Mode / Speed Mode / Mode Lab
  • Grand Prix: Item Grand Prix / Speed Grand Prix
  • Single Player Modes: License / Time Attack / Replay
  • Custom Race
• Quick Match now allows you to quickly customize the Mode and Solo/Squad option before searching.
  
• The Item Shop UI has been improved:
  
  • Categories have been updated to the following:
    • Recommended: Shows recommended shop items.
    • Packages: Shows all Packages of multiple items available in the Item Shop.
    • Single Items: Shows the individual items in some packages and basic single items.
    • Other Items: Shows miscellaneous items, such as the Racing Pass and Racer Name Change item.
  • The Shop UI now scrolls vertically, and can be sorted.
  • A smaller button to enter the K-COIN Shop has been added to the Item Shop menu.
• The Time Attack UI has been improved:
  
  • Filters have been added for Track Type (All / Speed) and Difficulty.
  • Selecting Time Attack will take you to the Time Attack UI for a specific track immediately, and the track can be changed from that menu.
• The Custom Race UI has been improved:
  
  • Karts, Characters, Balloons, and Settings can now be changed within the Custom Race UI
  • The Room Master will be able to change both the game's Track and Mode as well as their personal Kart, Character, Balloon, and Settings through the "Game/Item Settings" button.
  • Non-Room Masters will instead see an "Item Settings" button, which will allow them to change their personal Kart, Character, Balloon, and Settings.
• The License UI has been improved:
  
  • The UI will now show the rewards for completing the selected License.
  • For Item Mode License Missions, a guide to the items relevant to the mission will be shown before it begins.
  • A highlighting effect has been added to the "Training Course" button.
• Momentum Challenges have been moved from [Profile - Momentum] to [Challenges - Momentum]
• When the "Next" button is pressed at the end of a menu, it will now loop the menu back to the first option.
• (PC/Console Only) Shortcuts for some menus have been changed, including the Quick Access buttons.
  • Affected shortcuts include Select Mode, Communication, Social, Challenges, and others. The new shortcut keys can be viewed in the UI.
• Event notice UI for Hot Time and other events has been changed.

 [h2]New Awards[/h2]
31 Awards for Infinite Boost and Duo Mode have been removed:

• Infinite Boosts for One (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Twice the Infinite Boosts (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Four of an Infinite Boost (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Unstoppable Boosts (1, 2, and 3)
• The Neverending Boosts (1, 2, and 3)
• Dynamic Duo (1, 2, 3, 4 and 5)
• Some Items to Share (1, 2, 3, 4, and 5)

 
48 new Track Awards have been added:

• Mean Streets Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Mean Streets Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Lawless Tunnel Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Lawless Tunnel Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Streetcar Run Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Streetcar Run Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Central Station Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Central Station Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Trapworks Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Trapworks Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Bang and Clang Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Bang and Clang Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Altar of Secrets Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Altar of Secrets Attack (1, 2, and 3)
• Skeletal Citadel Racer (1, 2, and 3)
• Skeletal Citadel Attack (1, 2, and 3)

 
12 new Character Gameplay Awards have been added:

• Raptor L Time (1, 2, and 3)
• Raptor R Time (1, 2, and 3)
• Viktor Time (1, 2, and 3)
• Mayor Zipi Time (1, 2, and 3)

 [h2]Other Changes[/h2]

• (PC Only) Save Location of Screenshots has been changed to the [My Documents - KartDrift - Saved] folder.
• (PC Only) Screenshots can now be captured via the "Print Screen" button.
• Lobby Background Music has been changed.

 [h2]Bug Fixes[/h2]

• Fixed an issue where the frame rate could drop while playing a Replay.
• (Mobile Only) Fixed an issue where KartRider: Drift would sometimes close after connecting with a Bluetooth device for the first time after enabling Voice Chat.

 

Hello Racers, today, I'd like to discuss the Season 5 update with you!

[hr][/hr]

Before we begin, I'd like to note that we are hard at work preparing a major revamp of KartRider: Drift. We can't wait to show you everything to come, however, the changes that are being worked on will take a good deal of time. We're currently targeting this new direction to be released with our first update in 2024, and will be sharing more details when that update approaches. Keep an eye out for more news, and lets get back to the Season 5 changes!

[hr][/hr]

For this season, we've included several UI/UX changes and made improvements to matchmaking in addition to the usual new content we add every season, such as new tracks, Racing Pass, and events. I will focus on the changes and improvements for this Dev Blog.

As I mentioned in the last Dev Blog, we've been working on improving our matchmaking systems, which has left players dissatisfied. I personally feel sorry for the inconvenience caused to our players by the current problems with finding good matches with other Racers.

To speed up matchmaking times, we decided to focus on improving the scattered matching system. We removed the Duo mode and 'Racer + AI' matching options from Normal mode, and we've brought the Infinite Boost Mode that was previously available in Normal mode back into the Mode Lab. We plan to rotate through various modes, including the Infinite Boost Mode, in the Mode Lab so that our players can enjoy them on a set schedule.

This is particularly important for the Grand Prix modes, where matching delays were particularly severe. Grand Prix will now only be available during specific times selected to be best available for Racers around the world.

We have also altered Speed Grand Prix to be available with fewer Racers per match if matchmaking is delayed, instead of requiring 8 players for each match.

Due to the changes mentioned above, we will also be adjusting Win Streak Bonus reward grades and the player requirements for receiving Win Streak Bonuses. We have also changed the matchmaking system for Item Grand Prix so that the matchmaking pool expands to find more available players whenever there is a delay in finding a new match.

As I noted in the previous Dev Blog, these matchmaking-related changes are temporary, with the aim to relieve the inconveniences players have been experiencing in the short term. As we roll out more long-term solutions with future updates, these changes will be scaled back and removed.

Next, I'd like to discuss the upcoming UI/UX changes. These UI/UX changes are centered around the core intent to improve menu flow and overall convenience throughout the user interface outside of races.

We've changed the Lobby from a traditional navigate-and-select structure to a tabbed format, making it faster to navigate to submenus like the Garage, Shop, etc. In addition, we've improved on various menus such as Time Attack and Livery that were previously cumbersome to use. We've also changed the Custom Race menu to allow players to easily adjust their Karts, Characters, and other Item settings without having them return to the Lobby. Finally, we've consolidated the numerous control keys, and unified how in-game pop-up messages appear, which was previously inconsistent.

We understand that this update lacks the revamp that many of you were hoping for, but we'll work hard on the Season 5 update with this new direction to ensure that our Racers are happy, and we look forward to sharing more details about what we're working on next in a future Dev Blog.

Season 5 also contains special new content such as our collaboration with BLACKPINK, new tracks, new events, plus the improvements mentioned above. Please log in, enjoy the race, and continue to provide your feedback on KartRider: Drift. We'll make sure to listen to your ideas and work to incorporate them into future updates.

Thank you,

-Director Jaewoo Seo and the KartRider: Drift Team-

[Update 2:30 AM UTC NOV 30] The maintenance has been completed. Thank you for your patience.

KartRider: Drift will undergo maintenance for 4 hours on November 29, starting at 2:30 PM PT.

Maintenance Duration:

• PST (UTC -8): 2:30 PM November 29 - 6:30 PM November 29
• CET (UTC +1): 11:30 PM November 29 - 3:30 AM November 30
• JST (UTC +9): 7:30 AM November 30 - 11:30 AM November 30
• AEDT (UTC +11): 9:30 AM November 30 - 1:30 PM November 30

 
Note: Maintenance schedule is an estimate and subject to change.

Maintenance Details:

• KartRider: Drift will be unavailable.

 
Changes and Updates:

• New Moonhill Track Theme, plus a total of 8 new Tracks!
• 4 new KartRider: Drift characters, and 4 special guest characters!
• Lobby, Garage, and Shop UI Improvements.
• Infinite Boost Mode is being moved to the Mode Lab, and will be available on a 2-week cycle.
• Duo Mode removed, and Grand Prix will be restricted to specific playtime windows.
• See the full details in the Season 5 Patch Notes post!

 

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]
[h2]Season 5 - Moonlight Race:[/h2]

• Season 5 Major Changes:
  • New Moonhill Track Theme, plus a total of 8 new Tracks!
  • 4 new KartRider: Drift characters, and 4 visiting BLACKPINK characters!
  • Lobby, Garage, and Shop UI Improvements.
  • Infinite Boost Mode is being moved to the Mode Lab, and will be available on a 2-week cycle.
  • Duo Mode removed, and Grand Prix will be restricted to specific playtime windows.
• Season 5 Duration:
  • PST (UTC -8): Wednesday, November 29, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Wednesday, January 24, 2024 4:00 PM
  • CET (UTC +1): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 1:00 AM
  • JST (UTC +9): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 9:00 AM
  • AEDT (UTC +11): Thursday, November 30, 2023 (End of Maintenance) - Thursday, January 25, 2024 11:00 AM
• Time Attack Rankings, Season Best, and other seasonal content will be reset.
• When the season ends, there will be an Off-Season until the beginning of the next season.
• This Off-Season is a rest period until the beginning of the next season, with no season content such as Racing Passes or Daily/Premium Challenges.

 
You can also get a preview of the upcoming BLACKPINK crossover with the video below!

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]