Expected to launch in 2019, EA has confirmed that their next Need for Speed title will return to the series’ roots. Revealed in their 2019 fiscal report, EA aims to have Need for Speed 2019 restore their racing game’s “Street Racer vs Cops Fantasy“.
This return to street racing should be welcomed by fans, as Need For Speed Payback offered little more than an unsatisfying rendition of Fast & Furious. An earlier Need for Speed that used the street racing format like the original Most Wanted is one of the greatest racing games ever made.
The fiscal report also details that EA expects this upcoming Need for Speed game to sell around 4,000,000 copies worldwide. If this prediction comes true, NFS 2019 would become the most successful title in the series since 2010’s Hot Pursuit.
With E3 upcoming next month and EA Play confirmed to be taking place on the 7th June, it’s fair to assume we will be getting more information on this soon. This year’s EA Play should be a considerable improvement over last’s with EA promising focus on “more gameplay and insights from the teams making the games“. EA’s 2018 conference was arguably the worst of the year with too much focus on niche mobile titles such as Command and Conquer: Rivals.
It should be interesting to see how EA approach microtransactions with this upcoming game. With Belgium already banning microtransactions and a US senator recently proposing a ban on games for minors, Need for Speed will surely be affected. EA has also come under heavy criticism for their overly aggressive monetization with FIFA and, most infamously, Star Wars Battlefront 2.
Recent titles have been disappointing, to say the least. Ghost Games haven’t done an amazing job at resurrecting the series but this latest announcement might suggest a change to their fortunes. Perhaps Need for Speed 2019 could be the cult classic arcade racer we’ve all been longing for.
