14 DAY TRIAL // The next game in the Need for Speed franchise has been officially unveiled, in the form of Need for Speed: Rivals.
This is a new type of racing experience that will be released for next-generation consoles, the Xbox One and PlayStation 4, but also for current-gen platforms, in the form of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360.
The NFS series has been around for some time and now, with the upcoming appearance of two next gen consoles, Electronic Arts has confirmed the next entry in the franchise - Need for Speed: Rivals.
The title is being developed by its recently founded Ghost Games, in collaboration with the veterans at Criterion Games, and will be based on the Frostbite 3 technology that powers other EA titles like Battlefield 4.
Need for Speed: Rivals is an open world racing game in which players can act as both illegal racers but also as cops, each trying to take the other faction out.
"As a racer, the goal is to become infamous for taking risks behind the wheel and capturing your most intense escapes on video for the world to see," EA said in a statement, via Joystiq.
"The more cops players evade, the more Speedpoints they collect, enabling them to unlock new cars and items. Keep raising the stakes race after race, earning more and more Speedpoints along the way and becoming a more valuable target to the cops – but risk losing it all if busted"
"As a cop, players work together as part of a team in pursuit of racers, earning prominence and rising in the ranks of the Police Force with every bust. Achieving higher ranks unlocks new police only cars and more powerful pursuit tech."
The game will also mark the introduction of a new system called AllDrive, that allows players to seamlessly transition from playing alone in single-player to working with friends in the cooperative experience or against others in the competitive multiplayer.
The system will automatically change events and objectives on the fly in the game's open world depending on what and how players interact.
Check out a list of the game's different features below.
• Next-Gen Racing – Redview County is brought to life with stunning, next-generation detail • Need for Speed Network Powered by Autolog – Gamers can compare stats and challenge their friends anytime, anywhere and then easily share their accomplishments with both friends and rivals. • Personalization – Drivers customize their ride with fresh paintjobs, custom license plates, liveries decals and rims, as well as performance upgrades. • Pursuit and Evasion Tech – White-knuckle racing explodes with 11 upgradeable gadgets including turbo boosts, jammers and EMPs for racers, and shockwaves, roadblocks and helicopters for cops.
Need for Speed: Rivals will be released for next gen platforms, i.e. the Xbox One and PlayStation 4,later this year, as well as for current gen consoles, in the form of the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360, on November 19.
Those who pre-order the game will receive the Ultimate Cop Pack for free, which offers access to the Nissan GT-R Black Edition Cop Car, special pursuit technology, and a custom livery.