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Need for Speed developer Criterion Games will mostly focus on Battlefield going forward
The majority of EA's Criterion Games studio will now focus on Battlefield. A "core group" will continue to work on Need for Speed.
'Need for Speed Unbound' revives the racing series on December 2nd
'Need for Speed Unbound' is bringing back EA's street racing series on December 2nd, and it'll include A$AP Rocky in the bargain.
EA delays the next Need for Speed to focus on Battlefield
Criterion Games is helping out with the next Battlefield game, which is due out in the fall.
EA, not Take-Two, is buying Codemasters now
Codemasters, the British developer behind countless racing franchises including Dirt, Project Cars and the annualized F1 games, has been snapped up by EA. A little more than a month ago, Take-Two Interactive, the owner of 2K and Rockstar Games, announced that it had reached an agreement with Codemasters’ board. EA already owns the Need for Speed and Burnout franchises.
'Need For Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered' arrives on November 6th
The game will land on Switch a week after it hits PC, PS4 and Xbox One.
'Need For Speed Heat' is the first EA title to offer cross-play
PC, PS4 and Xbox One players can race each other starting tomorrow.
The next Need for Speed game will be made by Burnout creator Criterion
Need for Speed fans, rejoice: Electronic Arts (EA) is giving the long-running racing franchise back to Criterion Games. "With a strong history and passion for racing games and vision for what we can create, the Criterion team is going to take Need for Speed into the next-generation," an EA spokesperson told Gamesindustry.biz. Criterion is a Guildford-based developer that worked on the critically-acclaimed Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012). The studio was also responsible for the breakneck and destruction-focused Burnout franchise, including the open-world (and recently remastered) Burnout Paradise.
‘Need for Speed Heat’ isn’t anything like ‘Payback’
The long-running Need for Speed franchise is stuck in a rut. The 2015 reboot, simply titled Need for Speed, was criticized for its cringeworthy live-action cutscenes. Its successor two years ago, Need for Speed Payback, had an irritating upgrade system built around collectible Speed Cards. The last game to broach the 80 mark on Metacritic, Need for Speed Most Wanted, was developed by Criterion and released in 2012. The pressure is therefore rising around Ghost Games, the series' current steward, and its next entry, Need for Speed Heat.
'Need For Speed Heat' is an ode to Miami street racing (updated)
You knew EA couldn't go long without another Need for Speed game. Ghost Games and EA have taken the wraps off Need for Speed Heat, an open world arcade racer that "deepens and expands" the familiar mechanics of street races and police chases. It's a not-so-subtle ode to Miami that has you racing in the fictional Palm City in both sanctioned, money-focused daytime races as well as nighttime underground races that are all about reputation. To no one's surprised, the cops are less than enthusiastic about the after-dark racing -- there's a "rogue police task force" determined to hunt you down.
Need for Speed takes a break, returning in 2015
After 13 years of annual releases, EA has decided to take a more restrained approach to the next Need for Speed, a game that CEO Andrew Wilson believes will debut in 2015. Wilson broke the news during an EA conference call earlier today. "Ghost Games in Gothenburg is working on an innovative new chapter of this storied franchise," Wilson said. "We've planned an extended development window to ensure we're delivering a high-quality experience for Need for Speed players next year." Though Wilson offers no specific reason for this change of development pace, Need for Speed Rivals developer Ghost Games suffered a round of layoffs only three months ago, affecting both long-time Ghost Games employees, and those who EA shifted to the studio from former Burnout and Need for Speed developer Criterion Games. At that time, Ghost Games is said to have canceled development on an unnamed Need for Speed sequel, though no further information on that project has emerged since our earlier report. [Image: EA]
Burnout founder: Nintendo and EA didn't care about NFS Most Wanted
Former Burnout creator Alex Ward took to Twitter to discuss EA's commitments to the Wii U in his time at the company, particularly with Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Since Ward recently announced his new indie studio, Three Fields Entertainment, fans asked him on the social media service if the developer's initiative to "make games for all platforms where we can self-publish" will include Wii U. "Probably not to be honest," Ward replied on Twitter. "But never say never." The resulting, occasionally heated conversation with fans shed light on his perspective on the relationship between the developer and Need for Speed publisher EA. After being accused of not properly supporting Nintendo's console after launching the Wii U version of the game later than the others, Ward said, "Totally wrong. I did. Second, I complained when the company didn't even bother to press the discs with our game on." He added that the team at Criterion "worked our arses off. Neither [Nintendo] or EA gave a shit about it. A group of us did try" and that disappointed fans should "bitch and moan at the publishers not the developers." "We just did the coding," Ward said. "Like we had any choice over when it was released? Or the price? Everyone is so quick to blame the developers. Folks worked through New Year to deliver that. We tried to do our best. We even flew to [Nintendo] to personally demo in a bid for [marketing] support. There was none." Ward added that "the game was not even physically released initially in Europe. Members of the team could not even buy their own game." The frustration led to Ward's departure from the company in January. "Stuff like that pissed me off hence I left EA and have started my own company using my savings. So seeing as our families won't eat if we fuck up, we will choose our platforms carefully," he said. Ward was careful to state that "NFSU is certainly NOT the main reason I left EA" and that "it's two years ago and much water has passed under the bridge since. I just care about great games." He also took a moment to sing the praises of development teams like BioWare, DICE, Visceral and the FIFA team at EA Canada. [Image: Electronic Arts]
PSN Spring Fever franchise deals include Call of Duty, GTA
If the seven games debuting on PSN this month at discounted rates don't spice up Sony's Spring Fever sale enough for your liking, the sale will also include sales on four different franchises. Games and DLC in the Call of Duty, Need for Speed, BioShock and Grand Theft Auto series are on sale at varying points in March for all PSN users. The sale spans five games in the Need for Speed series, each down to $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus subscribers) tomorrow through March 10. Those games include Need for Speed: Most Wanted on both PS3 and Vita, Hot Pursuit on PS3, The Run on PS3 and Carbon on PSP and Vita. The Call of Duty series continues on March 11 through March 17 and features a variety of game and DLC bundles for Modern Warfare, Modern Warfare 2, Modern Warfare 3, Black Ops and Black Ops 2. Both Black Ops games can be purchased together for $69.99 ($62.99 on PS Plus) as well as all three Modern Warfare games for $64.99 ($58.49 for PS Plus members). Rockstar's Grand Theft Auto series rolls in next on March 18 with sales lasting through March 24. The sale knocks GTA 5 down to $39.99, GTA 4 to $5.99 ($4.79 on PS Plus) as well as a handful of other PS3 and PSP games in the series ranging from $5.99 each ($4.79 for PS Plus) to $2.99 each ($2.39 on PS Plus). Lastly, the first two games in the BioShock series will also be $9.99 ($5 for PS Plus members) March 25 through March 31. Those games are joined by BioShock Infinite's Burial at Sea Episode 1 DLC for $10.40 ($7.34 on PS Plus) as well as Columbia's Finest Pack and Clash in the Clouds for $3.49 each ($2.44 on PS Plus). [Image: Rockstar Games]
Ferrari, Jaguar car packs pull into the Need for Speed: Rivals garage
EA has unveiled two new car packs representing Jaguar and Ferrari for its hit arcade racer Need for Speed: Rivals, though arguably more intriguing is what the publisher isn't telling us. The Ferrari pack (highlighted in the trailer above) features the 1987 edition of the Ferrari F40 alongside 1995's F50. The Jaguar pack also includes two cars, the Jaguar XJ220 supercar and the C-X75 prototype, a hybrid-electric coupe that Jaguar describes as "the ultimate expression of the brand's design and engineering innovation." Both of these car packs feature a $6 price tag. Immediately following the above reveal, EA dropped a not so subtle hint that these may not be the only new cars joining the racing game this month. "[T]hese aren't the only new cars that will be hitting the streets of Redview County in the coming weeks," the publisher's announcement states, before urging players to keep an eye on the official Need for Speed: Rivals Facebook account. [Image: EA]
See the Need for Speed ad you missed by skipping the Super Bowl
Those of you who didn't spend yesterday hovering around a glowing picture box, while giant sports guys from Seattle trounced giant sports guys from Denver, missed the above teaser for the live-action Need for Speed movie. Aside from pretty cars crashing and Aaron Paul's sole line of dialogue, you didn't miss much. [Image: Dreamworks]
Need For Speed movie has cars, cameras, cameras on cars
Ever wonder what it takes to get a camera up to speed with the race car speed demons you see in films like The Fast & The Furious and the upcoming Need For Speed? This behind-the-scenes video should give you a clue as to the amount of work involved. The crew in the video start by introducing us to a Ford Mustang GT before ripping its guts out and replacing them with better, stronger, faster parts. Turns out, when you're filming fast cars, you need another fast car to keep up. Who knew? [Image: DreamWorks]
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Report: Ghost Games suffers layoffs, Need for Speed game put on hold
Need for Speed: Rivals developer Ghost Games has suffered layoffs in its UK office and ceased development on an unannounced Need for Speed project, according to a report by Polygon. The report states that Electronic Arts dismissed contract workers earlier this week and presented full-time staff members with a choice: leave and take compensation, or help Dead Space series developer Visceral Games with "Havana," a rumored Battlefield title said to be planned for the end of the year. If true, these layoffs follow Criterion Games' downsizing in September, which resulted in around 60 of its staff members working at Ghost Games. Criterion Studio Director Fiona Sperry described that exchange as a voluntary move rather than a choice handed down by EA. Sparrow and Criterion Vice President Alex Ward then left Criterion in January, noting plans on Twitter to create studio of their own. [Image: EA]
Need for Speed Rivals offers you the keys to a 2015 Mustang
It won't hit dealerships until next year, but thanks to Need for Speed Rivals you can drive the 2015 Ford Mustang as early as today. Thanks to a free title update which should be applied the next time you fire up the game, Rivals now features a brand-new, not-yet-released Ford sports car. This new Mustang should not be confused with the 2014 edition of the vehicle previously released as promotion for the upcoming Need for Speed film, nor its tricked-out police variation. This 2015 Mustang is its own car, and as you can see from the above trailer, it flies down the track like a thematically-apropos bald eagle. Like the recently-revealed BMW M5 Coupé from Gran Turismo 6, Need for Speed's new Mustang resulted from the development team being granted early access to the car during production. "We worked closely with the development team at EA to provide them with engineering data for the new Mustang, several months before we showed it to the rest of the world," stated Mark Bentley, Ford product licensing manager. As a result, the in-game 2015 Mustang should perform similarly to its eventual real-world counterpart, only with fewer cops and exotic supercars chasing you through the streets.
Need For Speed film trailer stars Aaron Paul, fast cars (in that order)
Dreamworks released a new full length trailer for the upcoming Need for Speed movie (alternative title: Braking is Bad), and it certainly looks like Need for Speed - not that the EA franchise is particularly bursting with identifying qualities beyond fast, shiny cars and high speed crashes. But this trailer nails those parts, that's for sure. The film, Aaron Paul et al, is dated now for March 2014.
Need for Speed can 'learn a lot' from EA Sports
When Andrew Wilson became CEO of Electronic Arts in September, he named Patrick Soderlund as his replacement as head of EA Sports. The company immediately made structural changes in how it handles its EA Labels, shuffling its games under the EA Studios brand. Along with that change, the Need for Speed series became part of EA Sports, a decision that Soderlund thinks will have a positive impact on the racing property. "I think that we can learn a lot from the sports games and what they've done," Soderlund told Polygon. "When you play a sports game, the controller in your hand will dictate how good the game is. It's all about player control and input and how it feels. It's a feeling, right? I think that focus on pure gameplay, is something that can benefit the Need for Speed brand in a very positive way." EA Sports-branded games have shared assets and design philosophies over the years, such as the NHL team at EA Canada adapting FIFA's Player Impact physics engine to bolster collisions between players in NHL 14. Soderlund noted that the change doesn't necessarily indicate a sudden move away from the sandbox-style action seen in Need For Speed Rivals. "It's a way for us to push innovation and push a different creative brain or mindset onto Need for Speed," Soderlund said. Need for Speed Rivals is now a launch game for PS4, and will arrive on PC, Xbox 360 and PS3 on November 19, launching with the Xbox One on November 22.
Take down rivals in Need for Speed progression trailer and screens
The latest trailer and screens for Need for Speed: Rivals show the progression of goals players face as both cops and racers in the game. Some tasks have players drifting for 500 yards while others challenge players to take down at least six racers. Need for Speed: Rivals will launch November 19.
