Revamped Need for Speed series set for this year with three announced new titles, and a secret one |
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The events unfolding within the offices of the Need for Speed franchise are certainly faster with more exciting sharp turns and a fuller pack of nitrous boost than any map in their games. It was mid-December when Electronic Arts announced that they're canceling the NFS studio, immediately followed by news that developer Black Box will be moving in with EA Canada. And then just last week, a memo from EA's NFS studio leaked to the press, revealing the massive layoffs that have hit them recently.
Today though, the news that comes out relating to the franchise is way better than what we've seen as of late. EA's sent out a press wire announcing a revamped NFS franchise, with not just one, or two, but three new titles to fill up the roster this year.
Here are their profiles:
Need for Speed SHIFT
Platforms: PS3, Xbox 360, PSP, PC
Release window: Fall 2009
Developers: Slightly mad Studios in collaboration with executive producer Michael Mann (Black Box) and Patrick Soderlund (Senior VP, EA Games Europe)
- Players are thrust into the heart of the action with immersive and exciting features including a stunningly realistic first-person cockpit view camera and an all-new crash mechanic, providing an unrivaled sensation of the speed and feeling of racing a car on the extreme edge of control.
Platforms: Wii, DS
Release Window: Fall 2009
Developer: EA Montreal
- Gamers can build up their boost as they drift and drag behind their opponents and use it strategically to change the course of the race, but watch out for the cops! Offering a fresh and unique visual style, the game features a variety of licensed cars which can be fully customized to let the game reflect the playerÂ’s taste and personality.
Platforms: PC
Release Window: Winter 2009 (North America), Summer 2009 (Asia)
Developer: Black Box, EA Singapore
- Beginning in Asia, this Play 4 Free action racing game will give Need for Speed fans access to licensed cars, parts and multiple game modes. Players will prove their racing supremacy through the sophisticated online matchmaking features and fully customize their profile and their ride.
"Black Box is currently working on a future action title in the franchise." Action title for the NFS title? Will it involve more cops and chases? Could EA slip once again into focusing too much on churning out titles under the franchise, at the expense of diluting the essence of the game itself?
Fortunately, Munro says no.
This isn't about the quantity, this is about crafting different games for different audiences and their unique tastes in the driving category.
The motivation was purely driven by our understanding of racing gamers and their desire to experience different kinds of racing games. I would say that our strategy is the inverse of milking; it is an intentionally non-traditional approach.
We took a consumer-fast approach and spoke with the fans about what they would like from their Need for Speed. Player feedback was consistent - create custom simulation and arcade experiences but maintain the franchises' core values of street culture, attitude and beautiful licensed cars.
If that is the case, then I am definitely looking forward to their new titles. Admittedly, I was one of those who weren't all too happy with the direction the franchise took with Carbon (I am an Underground baby!). But hey, there's always a second chance for everyone, right? And thank God this time they're taking gamer feedback seriously. Cos you know, in this case, I think the adage "The Customer is Always Right" stands true.
Okay, maybe not always.
Related Need for Speed Articles:
- Confirmed: Electronic Arts closes Need for Speed studio
- Black Box moving in with EA Canada, Criterion to handle next NFS game?
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34 Jumps PSP homebrew - MHUSPEED v3
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Comments [refresh]
It honestly needs to. Now they're not only releasing one a year. They're releasing three a year.
Not to mention. How many months ago did the last title that bombed came out? Yeah. And all of those are being released in 2009? EA needs to follow their own advice and get in the game, because they certainly aren't in the game and they haven't been in the game quite awhile.
If anyone is curious about my play on words. It's EA sports "it's in the game" comment.
HAHA wii and DS have a different one then the other consoles. Xbox and PS3 are the leading consoles and even psp is pro enough to have a share in the glory of a better game then the crappy nintendo version HAHHA
HAHA Nintendo is shunned from having SHIFT!!!So it has to go and get another game made for it, cause no gaming company wants to make a game for Nintendo's crappy consoles. HAHAHAHA!!! Am I right or Am I right?
YEA you right!!!!!!!!!! !!!!!!
Step ya game up nintendo
litterally lmao
they forgot about us real gamers
[sniff].....
:(
Hopefully this next NFS's aren't riddled with pop culture and the whole Fast and the Furious gig that got old after Underground 2. (though Most Wanted was great)
As for the "secret" title...
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Hot Pursuit 3!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
Anyone who cares about "pro" games and has a Wii most likely has a 360 or PS3 as well.
You're making fun of people who don't give a crap about a game that we only know the name of.
Undercover was Most Wanted 2.0 and Most Wanted was awesome. Thus Undercover was awesome.
They can release 3 games, it's not like it's one studio doing all 3.
I'll continue to play and support the NFS series as long they are made on the street and not on the track.
Besides, I guess what kupomogli fails to realize is they have 2 teams working on the series. Team 1 releases 1, 3 and 5, Team 2 releases 2, 4 and 6. The first team has probably been working on SHIFT a year before Undercover, usually just shy of a 2 year development cycle.
Need for Speed is not an EA Sports title. There's no "It's in the game" in the opening credits.
And as teh not so 1337 g@m3r said, these games aren't being made by BlackBox(well the PC one is, but that jsut seems like an mmo). And SHIFT and NITRO are being done by separate devs.
"This isn't about the quantity, this is about crafting different games for different audiences and their unique tastes in the driving category."
Sure, but if I have an Xbox 360 and I don't like SHIFT, I need to buy a Wii/DS first to be able to play NITRO.
And that isn't going to happen.
0 stars for speaking the truth? Not that I care but it just seems a bit uncalled for.
I still have my doubts about this new NFS game.
When you had something as good as Burnout series in the franchise, it's tough to create another racing game.
I just hope it's not just another racing game. We've already got lots of them. They really need to recreate and brainstorm some new elements, perhaps new gameplay mechanic or something. Anything will do cause the best NFS series i've played so far was the old one Hot Pursuit 2. LOL
The original Need For Speed (on 3DO) had more addictive intensity than all of the sequels combined. (I'm exaggerating for effect: I haven't played *every* iteration since.)
well considering NFS came MANY years before burnout was even THOUGHT OF, and they are made by 2 different companies (NFS+EA/BLACKBOX)(BURNO UT+CRITERION), your comment doesnt even count. I would much rather play a NFS game than a burnout game, or at least an OLDER NFS game.
In my opinion, Burnout just got good compared to NFS in Paradise. Before that, it didn't interest me much. The crashes (what the game was praised for so much) either were half a second or screwed you over in the main mode.
Paradise gave you more freedom to do whatever you want.
Still, I'd rather go back and play NFS3:HP or HP2 than any Burnout game.
We all know what your saying is true and i'm hoping Hot Pursuit 3 is in the works and proves it self so much that respect trumps all the bad recent titles we've seen. Although, I hope a NFS Most Wanted 2 is in the works too. NFS Most Wanted is my favorite in the tuner series by far.
I know NFS isn't an EA sports title. Infact. The series has never once been an EA sports title.
The fact that EA is one of the *****tiest companies out there is why I was quoting one of their *****ty quotes that EA actually needs to get in the game.
It's rare when EA actually releases a good game as literally everything is ***** from that company. That's why I quoted what I did due to the fact that they need to stop being such a *****ty company.
But complaining about EA producing (not developing) games that you(not everyone) don't like isn't gonna do anything except be an eyesore for those that don't care.
I like quite a few games EA has published lately. Rockband, Mirror's Edge(even though the demo pretty much sums up the entire game), NFS before ProStreet, etc. And let's not forget that they brought The Orange Box to the 360.
I'm not a big fan of sports titles, but they do make some kickass football and golf(on the wii) games.
Street racing game with the customization and car selection of Forza, and without the difficulty of Forza + win
I'd buy it
Hot Pursuit 3 will work too
I'm sure most people are aware of QJ's problem by now, but that + sign should be an equals
Just let it DIE already!
You haven't played any of the recent NFS games, have you?
I'll spell it out for you: ALL recent NFS games are terrible. The less platforms these games get, the better.
screw that... give us need for speed underground!
...If they update Porche 2000 (aka Porche Unleashed) with more cars (possibly other brands, that would require a name change tho) and better graphics I might actually BUY the PC version (j/k).
But seriously I would buy the PS3 version, no question about it.