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It feels like technically speaking, EA now has three "semi-sim" series in its hands: GRID, Need for Speed Shift, and Project CARS. I, for one, do not think all three are necessary under a single publisher. The obvious one that I think can go is Need for Speed Shift, as I don't think it really gels well with the rest of the Need for Speed brand. Meanwhile, it does seem like the Bell brothers are very much passionate about the Project CARS series, so if I were at EA, I'd feel bad about axing that series. That leaves us with GRID. I'd personally axe it so that it doesn't end up competing with Project CARS, and also so that CodeMasters can have more time/staff to work on the F1 series, the DiRT and DiRT Rally series, and eventually, the officially-licensed WRC series, as well as any other projects they may want to do. Making CodeMasters work on GRID as another IP could very well be too much for them, though I'm not personally sure.
This being said, there's also the factor that CodeMasters could end up assisting with the Need for Speed series, which I would personally welcome given that CodeMasters seems to have a generally positive reputation as a racing game developer. Indeed, CodeMasters feels like one of the few racing game developers left that remain open to multi-platform releases, in contrast to Turn10 and Polyphony Digital - not to knock against those two, though.
If I were an executive at EA, I just don't see how GRID as a series could have its own niche compared to Project CARS. Meanwhile, I think Need for Speed Shift as a spin-off series is largely unnecessary, both because it doesn't really fit into the Need for Speed brand of police chases, but also to avoid having yet another "semi-sim" IP when the Project CARS series exists. However, I see less harm in re-releasing the older GRID games for newer consoles, though I'd imagine car/music licensing would be a serious barrier to that.
I think GRID's existence made more sense when it, Project CARS and Need for Speed Shift were all under different publishers, but now, I really do feel like at least one franchise will be getting the boot, now that all three are under EA. And I don't think I'd want to axe Project CARS and risk pissing off the Bell brothers, even though Slightly Mad Studios put out the abysmal Fast & Furious: Crossroads and the mediocre Project CARS 3. I'd personally give them one more shot with Project CARS 4, at least. I also hear the GRID reboot from a couple years back did leave a bit to be desired, too.
This being said, there's also the factor that CodeMasters could end up assisting with the Need for Speed series, which I would personally welcome given that CodeMasters seems to have a generally positive reputation as a racing game developer. Indeed, CodeMasters feels like one of the few racing game developers left that remain open to multi-platform releases, in contrast to Turn10 and Polyphony Digital - not to knock against those two, though.
If I were an executive at EA, I just don't see how GRID as a series could have its own niche compared to Project CARS. Meanwhile, I think Need for Speed Shift as a spin-off series is largely unnecessary, both because it doesn't really fit into the Need for Speed brand of police chases, but also to avoid having yet another "semi-sim" IP when the Project CARS series exists. However, I see less harm in re-releasing the older GRID games for newer consoles, though I'd imagine car/music licensing would be a serious barrier to that.
I think GRID's existence made more sense when it, Project CARS and Need for Speed Shift were all under different publishers, but now, I really do feel like at least one franchise will be getting the boot, now that all three are under EA. And I don't think I'd want to axe Project CARS and risk pissing off the Bell brothers, even though Slightly Mad Studios put out the abysmal Fast & Furious: Crossroads and the mediocre Project CARS 3. I'd personally give them one more shot with Project CARS 4, at least. I also hear the GRID reboot from a couple years back did leave a bit to be desired, too.
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