14 DAY TRIAL // Recently, the Need For Speed franchise owned by Electronic Arts has been subject to a lot of rumors and speculations about whether it will be terminated, as profits have been slowly decreasing ever since the ProStreet title appeared, combined with the recent financial troubles the company has been experiencing. But now it seems that things will be completely different from what any other rumor that has surfaced recently stated, as Eurogamer has just reported that Electronic Arts will not only keep the NFS franchise going, but it will launch three new titles this year, each one oriented to a specific type of gamer.
That's right, not one, but three full titles, one of them being completely free. It seems that EA is still very confident in the NFS brand and is very much focused on delivering tailor-made experiences to the large number of gamers out there. The three games will be Need For Speed: Shift, reported to bring a much more realistic driving experience, similar to ProStreet, which will be made for the PC, Xbox 360, PS3 and PSP this fall, Need For Speed: Nitro, a casual-oriented title made exclusively for the Wii and DS, and last but not least, Need For Speed World Online, a free to play game based on racing licensed cars in an open environment, scheduled to be released in Asia this summer for the PC, with Western territories receiving it in winter.
Here are a few details, about each of these future racing titles:
Need for Speed: Shift will be created by Slightly Mad Studios, developers of the famous GT Legend and GTR2 titles, in cooperation with Michael Mann, a producer from EA Black Box, the studio that has handled the NFS series for quite some time, and Patrick Soderlund, one of the EA Games Europe executives.
Shift aims to be a true racing simulator, not only in that it tries to recreate a realistic car behavior, but, as a first in the modern series of NFS games, in that you will also be able to view the race from inside the car, and see how the driver moves and behaves while racing. This is what Keith Munro, the EA marketing boss, hopes will bring this game the edge, as opposed to other simulators.
Aimed at a more hardcore audience, consisting of old NFS fans and those who are really into real-life racing, the game will bring a new HUD (Heads Up Display) which will act under the influence of the G-forces experienced in the races.
“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 Munro.
Need For Speed: Nitro will be developed by the team at EA Montreal, it will be aimed at a more casual market, and it will appear on the Wii and DS. But don't think this will be like the Mario Kart series, as it promises to bring some new features that haven't appeared in other titles.
Specific details haven't been released yet, but according to Munro we are in for a very special experience: “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.”
Need For Speed: World Online will follow in the footsteps of the company's future free to play shooter, Battlefield Heroes. This will also be the version that the EA Black Box studio will make, in collaboration with EA Singapore. The game promises to deliver a great online experience, with the most licensed cars and parts ever encountered in an NFS game. Thanks to EA Singapore, the game will be released in Asia first, and, if things develop smoothly, will hit Western shores in winter 2009.
No word on how the game will be supported, as it is completely free, but we will see more details in the near future. “This is not so much a proof of concept - it is a full-fledged launch in a market that we are very ambitious toward,” explained Munro. “This Play 4 Free action racing game will give Need for Speed fans the most licensed cars, parts and game modes ever in Need for Speed's history. Players will prove their racing supremacy through the sophisticated online matchmaking features and fully customize their profile and their ride.”
All in all, it seems that the Need For Speed franchise will receive a fresh new start that will hopefully mark a new age in its long history. It's a very risky measure, but, as every gamer will find an interesting version, it will surely make a lot of money for the company.
