Asphalt 8: Airborne jumps onto Windows 8, download now to race on your Surface

By Sam Sabri
last updated

We just showed you guys that one of the most popular mobile racing franchises just came back to Windows Phone. That’s right, you can now download Asphalt 8: Airborne for Windows Phone 8 devices. But wait! There’s more. You can also get Asphalt 8: Airborne from Gameloft for Windows 8. So now you need make a decision – Do I get the Windows Phone or Windows 8 version of Asphalt 8?

Like Asphalt 7 before it, you can play the latest installment on whichever Windows device you want. Whether on your Surface 2 or Lumia 1520, you’ll be able to enjoy Asphalt 8. The bad news is that you’ll need to buy the game again, but it’s not too expensive considering what you get with it.

Asphalt 8 Windows 8

Asphalt 8 features a new graphics engine for the Asphalt series and brings a new feature – airborne stunts. With the game you’re getting killer graphics, tons of new locations and cars. Oh the cars. You have access to 48 licensed cars in the game, which are then divided into five tiers/classes. You’ll even find the new Tesla Model S in the game!

Asphalt 8 Airborne Windows 8

Gameplay is similar to the previous game on Windows 8. You’ve got touch controls, tilt/accelerometer controls, and keyboard controls. Pick you poison when it comes to whipping around the course at over 100mph.

Unfortunately like on Windows Phone, you’re not getting any Xbox Live integration with this title. But you are getting cool features like online multiplayer, local multiplayer, and more!

You can get Asphalt 8: Airborne in the Windows Store (opens in new tab). It requires to 2GB of RAM on your Windows 8 machine and goes for $1.99. There is a trial if you’re not sure you want to commit to it, but you’ll want to in the end. 

Sam Sabri
Sam Sabri
59 Comments
  • Primero? No Xbox achievements? Why?
  • No Xbox achievements = no interest from me. If even Gameloft is eschewing Xbox integration now, then Windows 8/RT and Windows Phone are in serious trouble. We need to let Microsoft and Gameloft hear our voices: email them, Tweet them, Facebook them, etc. This is very troubling.
  • No need for generalizations. Gameloft made UNO for windows phone and windows 8 and they both work together with Xbox live and have achievements
  • That was the past. All future Gameloft games are going to lack Xbox branding. This was reported here on WPcentral in August, and this is the first evidence of it being true. Save Xbox on WP; make your voices heard: http://ow.ly/qMZ4z
  • AWESOME!!!
  • Dam no Xbox on this version either. Not much on windows 8 tab as far as quality games. Good thing I kept my iPad around to play games on.
  • Hey, Sam, I dare you to race me
  • K. How do we set this up? 
  • I'll tweet/email you as soon as I figure that out
  • The review said this game supports "local multiplayer". If this means that I can play against a specific friend as opposed to the random on line multiplayer I would really appreciate if someone can tell me how this works. If I could do this, this game would be 10/10 for me. That's all thats lacking for me.
  • I'd love to install it on my surface, but I cant keep it from crashing long enough to even look at it.
  • Asphalt 7 was a really bad port on the Surface RT. Don't know why, but it runs 10x smoother on my HTC 8X.
  • Runs just fine on my Surface RT.
  • Did you ever played it on a WP8 device? Because compared to that, the surface rt version is rubbish.
  • I agree that Asphalt 7 ran crap on Surface RT compared to WP8.
  • That's not a Surface in the picture at all!
  • Another failed launch. Could've gotten an iPad for all this trouble. Would've had this when? A year ago? I'm not even going to search and find out. Sick of these disappointments and Microsoft still playing catch up delivering on little to nothing.
  • Um, Airborne came out end of August on iOS, so "a year ago" is a bit off.
  • Yeah a year ago was an exaggeration but you get my point. Why wait to get it late on Windows Phone? 3 months later and not even Xbox live enabled. I'm not whining, I've been a Microsoft enthusiast for years, they are really disappointing me now, this needs to get fixed. How many more years must we wait?
  • Is it available for lumia 520.... If so how much memory it needs in phone or sd card .... Im having 3 GB free memory on phone .... Still it says you've reached storage limit clear some space and try again
  • Wow, too much whining!
  • Whining? You like what's going on? Windows Phone progressing well for you? Here's an example of why I'm pissed, I have hours logged in Chaos Rings, a cracked Lumia 920 and I've been trying to wait hoping a full backup solution is available soon like on other phones but no, I'll finally get to play videos I bought years ago instead. Your ok with all this and more?
  • We need to complain to Microsoft and Gameloft on Twitter. If they hear enough blowback on there, then maybe that'll be enough to convince them.
  • Oh I am, they like to tweet back when its good news, stuff like this they just watch. Its been years, I don't think we matter.
  • Irony of people is that they cry for something they dont have and when they do get it they cry that they didnt get in other way
  • Absolutely ur right bro...
  • No Xbox no buy. Take note gameloft!
  • Why? Why would achievents matter to the point where you won't support the developer who has delivered a great WP game? If you want anyone to "take note" it should be Microsoft with their unnecessarily complicated requirements for Xbox live
  • No Xbox, no buy/play. Take note, whoever.
  • Are those the only type of controllers, or can I use my 360 controller???
  • 360 controller works. I've only played the tutorial level on my surface rt but so far it seemed pretty smooth and looks great.
  • You can definitely use your 360 controller!
  • Does anyone know if this works on ATOM processors? I bought Asphalt 7 for my ATIV tab but I've never been able to play it. Don't want to make that mistake again.
  • I've been told it works on ARM, x86 and x64 devices.
  • Thanks for the reply but thard what Asphalt7 shows also yet it does not go past the Gameloft startup screen. Guess I'll have to install to find out... Thanks.
  • I play Asphalt 7 on Atom Bay Trail processor fine, maybe sometimes low FPS but really playable, but Asphalt 8 runs with really looow FPS ! Maybe 15fps I can't figure it out how to fix it.. Can I change the graphics somewhere? 
    Asus Transformer T100
  • Where's the Lenovo Miix 2 review???!
  • ^^This! Im trying to figure out if I want the Lenovo or the Dell !
  • Was going to buy the Dell. But after seeing the Lenovo I'm stuck wondering which one to buy now. Either way I'm getting one of them for the holiday
  • What's the point in achievements????
  • Buying both. Don't care much about achievements. Not to the point that I wouldn't play/buy the game. At 1.99 and .99, these are two are better than many games/apps that cost much more.
  • same here, buying both
  • Going to buy it on my Windows 8.1. Love to play it on a big screen, yeah !
  • Why someone would pay money for a game on W8 or WP8 when the iOS and Android versions are free is completely beyond me...
  • yes why isnt this version free to play?
  • Because Asphalt 8 wasn't free on iOS or Android to start with. The version that is free is functionally different than the paid version. The free version has game boosting IAPs that the paid version did not have. The WP version is the same initial release that was on iOS and Android and it does NOT include those IAPs just like the paid version for those platforms.   This isn't a matter of the SAME GAME being free on other platforms, A8 free and A8 paid have different features.   If the WP version is indeed updated to be the same free version then expect the awesome IAPs and a free lunch. The A8 free IAPs, at least the 2x Credits for 24hours are worth it. I have been playing A8 since it launched on the iPad and I promise you, there is more of a difference between the paid and free versions. I paid for A8 and when it became free, Gameloft gave me more free IAPs than it costed to buy the game in the first place AND more vehicles and tracks and events. Really, it is $.99 that most people don't have to pay upfront anyway as it is billed to their celluar provider and people still complain. Complain that big name games are not on Windows Phone. Complain when they cost $4. Complain when they cost .99 cents. Complain when they are free and have OPTIONAL IAPs. Complain because there are no Xbox Achievments. Complain that the Xbox certification process takes too long. Complain that the apps take too long to be released. Complain of sloppy ports with low resolution textures and graphics. Complain when a high quality port that matches other OSes in graphics and features but the download file is near a GB or more.....just like on other OSes....complain complain complain.... Why should developers spend time and money developing for Windows phone or the Windows ecosystem again?
  • Everything is green on my tablet. Only while playing though. Otherwise color is fine. It is very weird. Damn tablet, can't play this or fresh paint, OS is extremely buggy on this tablet (Asus me400). Starting to regret buying this piece of crap. Thought this was supposed to be a good tablet. It got good reviews.
  • Buying both, could care less about xbox achievements I'd rather enjoy the game and support the platforms.
  • Same here. I will buy it for my wife's phone as well. I'm sure she won't play it but that is another .99 for Gameloft. $1.99 is a great price for Windows 8.1, my desktop GPU can more than handle all the glitz and glam plus Xbox contoller support and multiplayer is a win. The ecosystem is growing wonderfully. I have been telling friends about Asphalt 8 since I bought it on my iPad 4, some have downloaded it and recently, friends downloaded it on their Android devices while all my WP friends stood around waiting. I was glad to share the download link with my WP friends as they do not have iOS or Android devices and it was a pain for them to miss out. Good day indeed. Small things in life, appreciate them.
  • Yeah, there's almost always a significant wait for the high end games to land on WP. I'm on Gameloft's side, though. To everyone complaining about waiting 3 months for a game without Xbox Achievements, consider that you would STILL be waiting if they wanted this to be an Xbox title. Apparently the certification process is that bad. I don't blame them for avoiding it altogether.
  • You're not going to take out my #1 favorite feature (Xbox LIVE integration) and sell me a product for the same price as its predecessor, which included that feature.
  • Bought it for my Windows 8.1 Desktop. I couldn't wait to get home so I used TeamViewer on my 1020 to remote into my computer at home and purchase and download it.  Been playing it on my 1020 and iPad 4 and it is a great port for Windows Phone and I can't wait to get home and play it on my computer with my Xbox 360 controller! Nokia Refocus, Asphalt 8 Windows 8/Windows Phone all in the same day! :)
  • Asphalt 7 crashes every time I try to load it on my Surface Pro,.despite the fact that I bought the game....
  • Why there is so much fuss about xbox achievements? Just play the game and enjoy it. XBox achievement is just an additional feature not the make or break feature.
  • I got to admit this feels awkward to say. But I love Gameloft! If they could release the expansion for O&C then I'll explode of happiness.
  • Happy that it is compatible with 512 MB WP8 devices as well.
  • Asphalt 8 is a well known racing game developed by gameloft has put its step forward by launching this game for Windows users as well with some unleashed gameplay. Check them out it - http://www.cyberfreewishes.com/blog/asphalt-8-airborne-now-available-for...
  • Can i wifi race with an android asphalt 8 and a windows asphalt 8??