EA unveils new Need for Speed trio

It seems EA's long-idling racing franchise isn't destined for the scrap heap at all, as the publisher has unveiled three new Need for Speed titles across several platforms. In an interview with Gamespot, EA's veep of marketing, Kevin Munro, insists that "the new brand strategy around three specific genres will keep the game fresh and players entertained." This refreshing and oh-so-entertaining trio of titles includes:

Need for Speed: Shift (PS3, Xbox 360, PC, PSP) -- A "hardcore racing simulation" overseen by Black Box executive producer Michael Mann, and Patrick Soderlund, the co-founder of DICE and current senior vice president of EA Games Europe. External developer Slightly Mad Studios will be responsible for putting a realistic spin on the franchise.
Need for Speed: Nitro (Wii, DS) -- As you might expect, this one will feature a "unique visual style," courtesy of EA Montreal. Nitro promises to take full advantage of the unique controls on offer for both platforms, but without sacrificing depth. According to Munro, "We do not want to fall into the trap of creating a 'Need for Speed Lite.'"
Need for Speed: World Online (PC) -- Jointly developed by Black Box and EA ~~Shanghai~~ Singapore, this free-to-play online racer is set to launch in Asia this Summer, with a North American release slated for next Winter.

You can look for Shift and Nitro on North American shelves sometime during Fall 2009.

Update: Uploaded three screens (Shift, Nitro and World Online) and added source link to press release. Corrected development information for World Online.

Reader Comments (87)

Porsche Unleashed?!? Really? I rented this many moons ago with my racing game fanatic friend and thought the game was so horrible, we decided to start racing at each other. That's when we discovered collisions at clipping over 320 MPH impact tended to send the cars into infinite spin. THAT was the only fun we had in this game. Breaking it.

Never noticed such bugs in Porsche, but it was great as a multiplayer game. The most likable thing about it was that you were not racing around in a circuit, it was just from point A to B (yet still the roads were long). Very few racing games at the time had such level designs. Sure it was boring in single player, but as a LAN game it was unique.

But yea I still liked Hot Pursuit 1 the most though, the pinnacle of the NFS games.

Sheppy, I love you, but you're so off base with Porsche Unleashed that it isn't funny. Maybe you played the PS1 version instead of the PC version.

Meh, another simulator :(? I loved the franchise when it went casual racing ;

I guess I am one of the few that would at least give it a look before shooting down. If they do it well then they will get my money, I must admit I have my doubts.

Those games are just NFS in name now, I doubt the engine will feel the same as the previous games.

Sad. But that screencap looks hot. But still sad. NFS is so dead to me, they'll need to really work to make me like this series again.

I liked NFS4:High Stakes, a return to that kind of game would be nice. Exotic cars on the open highway being chased by cops, that's what NFS used to be about.

Unfortunately EA is going to try to make this new NFS like Forza/GRID/PGR and it's going to fail, I'm sure.

+1 for the truth

Uh instead of all this NFS: Kart Racing and NFS: My Racing Coach why not stick to whats good and make a freaking NFS: Hot Pursuit 3 for christ sake.

This game will have to be damn impressive for it to win my money over Gran Turismo 5. Also, that "screenshot" at the top is clearly pre-rendered.

Yeah, you're probably right. There's no way that's in-game

It is not, duh. What's so FMV-looking about this shot anyway? games had graphics like this in 2007.

Are you kidding? Do you see the soft shadows being cast on the dashboard?

NFS3: Hot Pursuit was the only NFS game I ever bought, and I probably will never buy another. Underground ruined it for me because I wanted the lamborghinis and Porches, sure most wanted brought back the super cars but then they had to do open world racing... WHY CANT IT JUST BE LIKE NFS3?

Bring back Road Rash, i dont want yet another Need for Speed game!

I want GT5 with NFS styling...

NEED FOR SPEED: UNDERGROUND 3! It's about time!

I'm sure that everybody's image of a GOOD Need for Speed game is arcadey, not "Hardcore simulation"...

Not sure about this, I like the new approach but the last two games were just meh.

Does anyone else remember NFS:SE. Originally on 3D0? My love of cars spawned from this game. It was a good attempt at realism (At least in my young eyes at the time) and the tracks were beautiful. I hope everyone can get away from this lame city driving crap we've been stuck with for the last 5-7 years. It's time for the back roads again. Clean, unmodded cars, and highway cops. That's what we all need!

;P

I am glad that are not scraping nfs. They need to change it a little. But underground 1-2 were fun. Most wanted was fun! Then carbon sucked! and Prostreet was ok.
and i havent played the new one yet for more than five minutes!

Slightly Mad Studios is composed of people who worked on GTR, GTR2 and GT Legends for SimBin.

I'm honestly excited for NFS Shift just because of this.

Why don't they just call it NFS: Forza?
I'm with the others that say NFS is dead to me. I have Forza 3 coming for "simulation" play, and I'll take Burnout any day over NFS for arcade play.

Sorry EA, you gotta to step it up.

Forza for sim? Dream on, GT FTW

pathetic attempt EA need for speed shift is going to be the same as pro street but
the outline graphics and sim will be like grid. you never learned fromm all those horrible need for speed games so far, when will you learn we dont want bullshit we want real racing games not bullshit.

Why does the Wii have "special visuals" when the PSP doesn't get the same treatment?

Surely, two gamecubes and duct tape equal a PSP more or less.

* > NFS "hardcore racing sim"

Let me get this straight so we have nfs pro street 2,nfs stupid gimmick and nfs advertising for free.Way to bring back a dead franchise.

Though i adore Wii racing controls, Western developer's conception of "different art style" very rarely turns out good. They probably think what they have going for NASCAR Kart Racing is something that is "different"

The best NFS series is Hot Pursuit and Underground PERIOD I personally liked underground 1 and 2 A LOT. If anyone remembered the second was the shit to play because it was so much fun online xD

I disagree with most on here. If that is the game's screenshot, it is looking to be a good looking game(finally). And a realistic aproach(to me) is welcome.

Dear EA: Make another Hot Pursuit. I'd totally pay good money for a remake of the original Hot Pursuit with modern graphics, even if the levels, music, and cars were exactly the same.

Come to think of it, I'd probably pay full price for a straight up port of Hot Pursuit to the PS3, or a PC version that actually runs properly on Vista.

i dont get it, why cant i play an arcade-y nfs anymore??? i hate simulation games

So the PC title is essentially TrackMania Nations, minus track building, plus car collisions. Loses my favorite part of TrackMania, gains some fun crashes... we'll see how it works out. Free is good.

Yeah, "hardcore realistic racing" is exactly what people have always looked for in a Need for Speed title. Glad to see EA still have their finger on the pulse!

NFS Customization + Hardcore Racing Sim made by the guys that made GTR2 (and something else) = SEX.

Meh, screenshot looks like this will be a GRID-like type of racer.:/
Dont get me wrong, i love Grid, but its not want i want from my NFS games.
NFS needs go back to it roots.

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EA unveils new Need for Speed trio

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