While there is indeed a new Need for Speed coming by the end of 2019, you won’t be seeing it next month. Developer Ghost Games has confirmed it won’t be debuting the as-yet-unnamed sequel in LA for E3 and Electronic Art’s own EA Play in June.
The news comes from a new Under the Hood entry — strangely enough, not on the official NFS site, but EA Answers. Here, community manager Ben Walke re-confirmed that a new title is in fact releasing this year. He also pointed out that 2019 is a special one, as the franchise turns 25. Talking about what players can expect from the next title, Walke confirms that customization will remain an essential part of the equation:
“We’ve also thought a lot about what NFS means to you, and perhaps more importantly what we hope it will mean as we move forward. Cars naturally top the list. You could say that the cars and customization of NFS are the beating heart of what we do. Without either of these, NFS fails to exist as we know it. These two elements play a pivotal role in the series and are two aspects that we consider to be foundational, meaning they aren’t going anywhere because NFS wouldn’t exist without them.”
Walke goes on to say that traditions “can also be broken, and new ones forged.” He continues, stating that the team won’t be attending the big events in June, and that it’s focused on delivering “a truly memorable” title.
But wait, why Gamescom? Well, for starters, it’s a solid two months after E3, which gives the team a little more time before showing its hand. Europe’s biggest gaming event is set at Cologne too, which is quite a lot closer to Ghost Games’ Gothenburg, Sweden HQ than LA. There’s also the small matter of the sign-off: “the next time we talk, we’ll be packing our bags and heading south for the full unveiling.”
While the last entry, NFS Payback, improved on its tepid 2015 predecessor, it’s faced stiff competition in the arcade racing world from the likes of Forza Horizon 4 and The Crew 2. Given the team’s decision to hold off on showcasing the game for a little while longer, we’re curious to see what it’s cooked up to celebrate the quarter-century milestone.
What do you think: is the later reveal a positive sign or something to worry about? Let us know in the comments section.
Featured image courtesy of Ak1504.
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