RSS
EA has told Eurogamer that the immensely popular Need For Speed franchise is to be reinvented into separate core, casual and ‘Play 4 Free’ games.
Need for Speed: Shift will launch on PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP this autumn, apparently, along with Need for Speed: Nitro on Wii and DS.
Need for Speed: World Online will be released to the Asian online PC market this summer, before heading West in the winter.
“The urban underground was a manifestation of style in some past Need for Speed games for sure, but Shift focuses less on these style cues and more on mirroring the driver experience, that athleticism of being in a wickedly-intense race, and what it really feels like to be behind the wheel,” said EA marketing boss Keith Munro about Need for Speed Shift.
Of Need for Speed Nitro he added: “Need for Speed Nitro on the Wii and DS will not be a Mario Kart clone – Nintendo already does an excellent job with that.
“Instead, we are evolving the arcade racer with a fresh and unique visual style that is very Need for Speed. The game will be rich and deep and will appeal to experienced arcade racers as well as casual players.”
“What you’ll see is that Nitro in no way resembles any other previous Need for Speed title,” said Munro.
Loads more through the link.
Viewing 9 responses
Blerk said:
Why don’t they just can it completely and put the effort into Burnout instead?
OrphanageExplosion said:
For the same reason that Babylon 5 would never be as popular as Star Trek.
But with EA Black Box dead, it would be nothing short of criminal lunacy if Criterion didn’t become involved in NFS.
absolutezero said:
Are’nt Burnouts yearly anyway? Surely pumping them out would just lead to what happened to NFS in the first place.
Blerk said:
Well… no. The last Burnout was out this time last year. No new Burnout on the horizon as yet.
JonFE said:
Blerk, the forthcoming premium Burnout DLC packs might be more lucrative deal than a full new Burnout product…
Blerk said:
Exactly. So quite why they insist on doing a new NFS every year, I have no idea. And now they’re doing three.
Harry said:
Need for Speed: Shift actually looks really good.
It sounds like a mix of Forza and PGR and is being developed by the folks that made GT Legends.
In fact it sounds like a top notch racer that is being given the NFS branding for marketing purposes.
theevilaires said:
its about time. i hope they do a good, i think they have a screen shot over at joystiq
Mad-elph said:
What I want is another Hot Pursuit! That original game was the best NFS yet… HPII and HS were good too.