Need for Speed 2015 is a reboot of the popular Need for Speed franchise. It’s supposedly the successor of the Need for Speed: Underground installment, but EA isn’t giving it that name. The teaser trailer for it dropped about a week ago, and it’s definitely got an Underground vibe going on. They’re promising to show more at E3, and we’re looking forward to it.
This upcoming open-world racing game will require an internet connection, according to the Need for Speed twitter page. There hasn’t been any confirmation about whether we can still play offline. This requirement, as explained in the tweet, is supposed to help with providing “[m]ore variety and a more rewarding experience with friends.” The connection will allow for players to become part of the “narrative experience.” Need for Speed games aren’t known for their emphasis on the narrative, but the reboot will focus on this more. Executive producer Marcus Nilsson explains, “I think we can deliver a better game to our fans if we connect to them emotionally through story.” We’re still not clear on why a better in-game story would require an internet connection, but we’ll watch out for updates on that.
Right now, a lot of the fans are hoping it won’t be necessary to be online all the time. The possibility of large-scale server connectivity issues is present, which could make for inaccessible games and a whole lot of inconvenience, especially for those who wish to play solo. Requiring “always online” status has not always worked well for games in the past, but we trust that EA knows what they’re doing with this one.
How do you feel about Need for Speed so far? The reboot is looking good at the moment, promising authentic urban car culture, a nocturnal open world, rich customization, and a more immersive narrative. The Xbox Games Store (US) may have accidentally let slip a release date: November 3. It’s been taken down already, but the UK store still has a November 5 release date listed. November 5 being a Thursday, it seems a bit off as most games are released Tuesdays or Fridays. Either way, it looks like we’re getting Need for Speed on the first week of November.
