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Revamped Need for Speed series set for this year with three announced new titles, and a secret one |
Listed in: News, Games Tags: Canada, EA Montreal, Electronic Arts, Michael Mann
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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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Comments
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.
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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?
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Step ya game up nintendo
litterally lmao
they forgot about us real gamers
[sniff].....
:(
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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!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! !
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You're making fun of people who don't give a crap about a game that we only know the name of.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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When you had something as good as Burnout series in the franchise, it's tough to create another racing game.
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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.
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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.
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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.
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I'd buy it
Hot Pursuit 3 will work too
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I'll spell it out for you: ALL recent NFS games are terrible. The less platforms these games get, the better.
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But seriously I would buy the PS3 version, no question about it.
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