Need for Speed Series May be Finished

[Micster]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

Sad to see the series die, but I'm also quite glad too. I don't know how many more recycled racers I can take from the series.

I've been buying all the NFS games from III up to ProStreet though.

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

now with many more competitors throwing out better car games

That's a big part of it, IMO. Others took what NFS did before, and did it better. The NFS series seems to have been lacking an identity for awhile now, so I wouldn't be entirely surprised if indeed EA decides to shut it down and put people on developing something new. On the other hand, it's a well-known brand, so it's unusual that they would let it go...maybe they'd sell it off to another developer.

[MrKLM]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

maybe they'd sell it off to another developer.

I think EA would only sell off the brand if they desperately needed money fast. Like Interplay did with Fallout with Bethesda. But this is not the current case.

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

But this is not the current case.

Don't be too sure about that. EA's stock price has taken a beating over the last few yrs, there have been significant layoffs, rumours of a takeover by Disney, and plans to open new studios have been put on hold/cancelled.

"Desperation" is a subjective term, but it's hard to argue that EA isn't looking to get money any way they can these days.

If upper EA management thinks they have milked the NFS series as much as they can (and won't go back to it in the future), they won't hesitate to sell it in order to make some cash.

[MrKLM]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

If they did sell it I could see someone like THQ trying to buy it up as they seem to like to take what others don't want and try to do some good with it.

[MrKLM]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

Update:

We've received a tip from someone a purported EA employ who wishes to remain anonymous. According to this source, the Need for Speed series isn't shutting down -- but EA Black Box, the development team behind recent entries into the series, "most likely" is. The source explains that EA not only scrapped their plans to open up a new studio in Vancouver, but that they also decided to close Black Box, moving the NFS and Skate teams to their much larger Burnaby studios.

The source further details the fate of Need for Speed -- he claims that one of the next entries into the series will be developed by the EA-owned Criterion Games, and will likely use the engine of their racing series, Burnout. He also claims that there are three different teams within Black Box that are responsible for developing Need for Speed titles (which is how they're able to release a new NFS title every year) -- though these three teams will likely consolidate into one, leading to less NFS releases, more continuity between said releases, and, ultimately, drastic downsizing for the NFS teams.

Source: Joystiq

[imported_Whiskey]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

Update: We've received a tip from someone a purported EA employ who wishes to remain anonymous...[snip]...The source explains that EA not only scrapped their plans to open up a new studio in Vancouver, but that they also decided to close Black Box, moving the NFS and Skate teams to their much larger Burnaby studios.

That's interesting, considering that the Burnaby studios have been waaaay overcrowded for quite some time. They have recently done some expansion however, putting up new buildings, so perhaps they've made enough room.

If so, this news makes a lot of sense. The Black Box studios were located right in the heart of downtown Vancouver, and the cost for the several floors EA rented/leased in that building would've been astronomical. Moving them to Burnaby makes a lot of financial sense, plus makes communication a lot easier too by having more staff in a central location.

The plot thickens...

[Torchwood]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

I've been sold on NFS since Underground 2, but i didn't buy Pro Street and it kinda ruining the franchise. However, Undercover does go back to Most Wanted-style NFS which was awesome but no drift and drag races make me sad.

[The_Eliminator]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

I personally never really got into the series as i found them all the same.

[hajas]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

IMO, NFS series are in a down moment because their MP... in the past their SP was REALLY boring, but the MP was really great! with many options like to add a full grid to play with more 8 players, you can add traffic in the streets to make the races even more harder and fun... had also 1x1 in the streets with traffic (until with a school bus!) which I love to play in LAN, really GREAT!

Since Hot Pursuit the MP started to fail... removed the inside car view and the traffic and grid to the MP, remaining only the 8 players... then Underground come with an ok SP and MP, but any are really good...

then Underground 2 arrives with a really fantastic SP with the inside view back, he made the first Underground seams just a demo of NFSU2... but again failed in MP, now with just ONLY 4 players, and to be worst, no traffic, no grid, nothing good... which made the MP VERY boring... :/

NFS Most Wanted IMO it's the best SP of NFS series, but have the same MP problems... Carbon is Ok, ProStreet I can't say it's a NFS... NFS always was racings in the streets, highways, freeways, etc... not circuit...

now we have Undercover which I didn't played yet, but I read only really bad reviews around the internet unfortunately...

I read about the new MP which seams great, but they failed again... NO LAN? are you nuts? c'mon... this is very stupid for a game not have these days...

NFS just need a good direction to be great again, the graphics, the driving, the cities, etc... all are really cool... they must invest in gameplay, and specially in MULTIPLAYER like the golden days of NFS! :/

[ThatEvilGuy]

Re: Need for Speed Series May be Finished

Update:

We've received a tip from someone a purported EA employ who wishes to remain anonymous. According to this source, the Need for Speed series isn't shutting down -- but EA Black Box, the development team behind recent entries into the series, "most likely" is. The source explains that EA not only scrapped their plans to open up a new studio in Vancouver, but that they also decided to close Black Box, moving the NFS and Skate teams to their much larger Burnaby studios.

The source further details the fate of Need for Speed -- he claims that one of the next entries into the series will be developed by the EA-owned Criterion Games, and will likely use the engine of their racing series, Burnout. He also claims that there are three different teams within Black Box that are responsible for developing Need for Speed titles (which is how they're able to release a new NFS title every year) -- though these three teams will likely consolidate into one, leading to less NFS releases, more continuity between said releases, and, ultimately, drastic downsizing for the NFS teams.

Source: Joystiq

Well I was hoping they'd just cancel it but this dramatic reshuffling of teams and changing things around isn't too bad either, hopefully they'll make better games.

They should stick strictly to the racing experience not the cheesy stories and cut scenes and other useless needless ********.

The very first need for speed, doesn't have any stories or anything is still the best game in the series, followed by Hot Pursuit series and Most Wanted, which does have a story but it's not that intrusive for non story lovers like myself.