Gameloft’s much-anticipated racing game, Asphalt 8: Airborne, was due to be released last Thursday, August 8, but for some unknown reason the game wasn’t quite ready for public release. However, today the developer has announced that the game is scheduled to launch next Thursday, August 22.

Asphalt 8 is one of the few games on the market that is optimized for Android 4.3 Jelly Bean’s new 3D graphics standard, OpenGL ES 3.0, and this launch is a huge milestone for the development team.

If you are having trouble waiting the extra two weeks, Gameloft is now providing a competition in which one lucky winner will have the opportunity to download and play the game before anyone else. To be in with a chance of winning all you need to do is subscribe to the developer’s YouTube channel and fill out the form with your full name and e-mail address on its website.

The game pledges to provide a free and unique racing experience, with 180 different events, 47 licensed cars and social network integration, including Facebook and Twitter support.

The latest teaser trailer for Asphalt 8: Airborne can be watched below:

• SourceGameloft