Need for Speed: Payback

Need for Speed: Payback
Development
Studios	Ghost Games
Publisher	Electronic Arts
Gameplay
Metacritic Score	Unrated

Need for Speed (2017) is an upcoming release currently in development at Ghost Games and is set for a 2017 release by publisher Electronic Arts.

The title of the 2017 game hasn't been revealed nor any specifics towards the style of gameplay that will be employed.

Tease

A tease for Need for Speed (2017) was shown in an Under the Hood segment published on the official Need for Speed website on May 9, 2017. It was titled "Need for Speed 2017: Paying It Back".

The post highlighted Ghost Games' continued passion for the Need for Speed series, and that they feel "honoured and privileged" to be developing the next game for the fans of the series, which will be released before the end of the 2017 calendar year.

“	By now many of you will have heard the talk that a new game is in development here at Ghost Games. We’re happy to announce that by the end of 2017 you will be playing a new Need for Speed game. We’ll have a lot more details to share as we get closer to EA PLAY in June. In the meantime, we can share a few details about various aspects of Need for Speed, what they mean to you, to us as developers, and to the franchise as a whole.	”
— Ghost Games

In the opening section of the post, the article states that Ghost Games has been surprised by the amount of feedback received from the Need for Speed community following the release of Need for Speed (2015).

Customisation is described as having a strong role within the game and beyond its release. Police are also noted to be pursuing racers during street races and the presence of Rhino units.

“	Rest assured that we’re committed to customization having a home within the Need for Speed series. It’s not going away and it will play as strong a role as ever as we move forward into the next game and beyond. Cops in pursuit, racers up ahead and then out of nowhere BAM! They bring a Rhino to a street race.	”
— Ghost Games

The environment in which the game will take place is depicted with a teaser image that was part of the article. It shows a Motel sign flickering near a red rock cliff with a setting sun casting through a clouded sky, and a Nissan 350Z parked against a chain link fence adjacent to a field of tall grass.

Another sign below the flashing Motel sign has the date June 2nd written across it. June 2, 2017 is eight days ahead of Electronic Art's EA Play event in Los Angeles, which will feature Need for Speed (2017) playable on the show floor.

Its setting is characterised as a beautiful location that offers space for both tarmac and offroad gameplay, with the option to take customised cars to events along a canyon setting or take jumps to avoid police attention.

“	Whether you’re checking out your freshly customized ride or smoking the competition in an event up in the canyons, you’re going to want a world that not only looks beautiful, but offers you the space in which to do the things you want. We’re dialing up the action and allowing you to tear up the tarmac, and dirt, to your heart's content. Burn rubber as you throw a car around a corner sideways and floor it as you hit an epic jump away from the cops. We’re building the world, but what you do in it is the aspect that excites us most.	”
— Ghost Games

The article ends by stating that the game will feature a single player experience that can be played offline and can also be paused.

“	So, when release day rolls around for the next Need for Speed, you will be able to play through a single player experience completely offline. Before you ask, and we know you will, this does mean you will be able to pause the game.	”
— Ghost Games

Development

Reveal

The 2017 game was first revealed to be in development on May 10, 2016 with the release of Under The Hood #7: Taking Stock on the official Need for Speed website.

The special announcement highlighted the SpeedLists update would be the last free content update for Need for Speed (2015), and the community's feedback towards the 2015 game would be taken in towards the development of the 2017 game.

“	We are now building upon the foundations that have been laid with Need for Speed and delivering our next game in 2017. That’s not to say that we’re going quiet between now and then... far from it. We'll be working with our community and there will be multiple opportunities to bring many of you into the studio in the coming months to get your feedback on where we're headed.	”
— Ghost Games

EA Play 2016

It was announced on January 27, 2016 that Electronic Arts would not be attending E3 2016 in favour of hosting their own EA Play conference. On June 9, 2016, Electronic Arts' Global Content and Community Manager, Ben Walke, tweeted that no games in development at Ghost Games were set to be announced during the conference

Job Positions

A Narrative Writer position was listed on the jobs section of Ghost Games' website for their studio in Guildford, England. The position listed a role encompassing character development, writing scripts for performance sessions, and would be beneficial to have a knowledge of car culture.

Need for Speed: Arena Trademark

On November 7, 2016, a trademark for Need for Speed: Arena was published for ownership by Electronic Arts. The trademark application was filed with the European Union Intellectual Property Office (EUIPO) with a 9 and 14 Nice classification, covering the usage of the term for a computer game software and an online entertainment service respectively.

EA Quarterly Earnings Call

Electronics Arts' quarterly earnings call for the third quarter of fiscal 2017 was held on January 31, 2017. During the call, a rundown of Electronic Arts' previous quarter was discussed, and hinted at the 23rd Need for Speed game.

“	We’re also excited to have a new Need for Speed title launching in FY18. We’ve given this game an extended development cycle to focus on innovation, and the Need for Speed team is pushing the boundaries of action driving with what we believe is the most exciting and best-looking Need for Speed game we’ve ever produced.	”
— Andrew Wilson - EA ECO

The fiscal 2018 release target places the launch of Need for Speed (2017) between April 1, 2017 and March 31, 2018. Andrew Wilson also mentioned that, according to Polygon, the game will be ambitious with a competitive online focus.

EA Play 2017

On March 23, 2017, an official Electronic Arts blog post was published dating the availability of tickets for the show, and that Need for Speed will be playable for participants.

“	From June 10 - 12, players joining us in Hollywood will get hands on with the next Star Wars™ Battlefront and Need for Speed™ experiences. You'll also get your first chance to play many of our upcoming EA SPORTS™ titles: Madden NFL 18, FIFA 18 and NBA LIVE 18. This isn't all, by the way...and we'll have more to share in the coming months.	”
— ea.com

Gallery

Teaser Image
(May 9, 2017)

Wide Teaser Image
(May 9, 2017)

Animated Teaser Image
(May 9, 2017)