Need for Speed Mobile is an upcoming game in the Need for Speed series.
It is an open-world mobile game being developed by TiMi Studio Group, a subsidiary of Tencent, and is likely to be published by Tencent for the Chinese mobile gaming market with Electronic Arts still retaining the rights to the Need for Speed series.
The game has not been formally announced, although Tencent has worked with Electronic Arts' Need for Speed series before with two prior products:
- Need for Speed: Online: A Chinese market exclusive MMO live from mid-2017 to January 27, 2022. It reused a number of assets from Need for Speed: Edge, a Korean market exclusive MMO developed by EA Spearhead, which in turn is based off of Need for Speed: Rivals.
- Need for Speed: Duel: A Chinese market exclusive mobile game rendition of Need for Speed: No Limits with added multiplayer functionality and was limited to a few open test sessions. It reused a number of key art assets from Need for Speed: Online and Need for Speed: Edge.
Pre-Release
2022
iOS Test Session
In mid-May 2022, an invite-only play test session was held for a "Codename: Racing" iOS game through the Tencent Pioneer app. Over 1,500 players participated and were asked to give feedback.[1][2]
Following the session's completion, gameplay footage was leaked on the Need for Speed subreddit, as well as various pictures.[3][4]
The setting for the game, the assets used, and included music are derived from Need for Speed: Heat.[5]
Job Listings & 3Q21 Results
On January 2, 2022, job listings appeared on the Tencent Careers page with roles at TiMi Studio Group described as working on a "real-world racing mobile game" for a "Well-known IP". As part of the job listing, two advertisements were circulated highlighting the game to be developed using Epic Games' Unreal Engine 4 and that it would be a "AAA" game.[6][7][8]
As well as the listings of various roles at TiMi Studio Group, a product list was published by Tencent with their third quarter release schedule for 2022, and includes a licenced "Need for Speed Online Mobile" game listed with a "to be confirmed" (TBC) date.[9]
Tencent's third quarter for their fiscal year is from July 1st to September 30th.
2021
Daniel Ahmad Tweet
On August 4, 2021, Daniel Ahmad, a Senior Analyst at Niko Partners, posted a series of tweets regarding Electronic Arts' financial results for their first quarter of fiscal year 2022. One of the tweets in the series was with regards to Electronic Arts' plans with regards to the Need for Speed series, of which a mobile game for the series being developed by Tencent was mentioned alongside a new console game.
| “ | EA also said that they have plans to bring Need for Speed back. This would probably include the Need for Speed Mobile game which is in development at Tencent, in addition to a new console game Nothing to share on Dead Space today, other than the response from fans was positive |
” |
— Daniel Ahmad (@ZhugeEX)[10]
| ||
References
- ↑ Website: gamer.qq.com (2022) "Codename: Racing" Pioneer ios test recruitment. Available at: https://m.gamer.qq.com/v2/task/detail/821/9494
- ↑ Image: "Codename: Racing" Pioneer ios test recruitment screenshot
- ↑ Website: eurogamer.com (2022) Footage of Tencent-developed Need for Speed Mobile seemingly leaks online. Available at: https://www.eurogamer.net/footage-of-tencent-developed-need-for-speed-mobile-game-reportedly-leaks-online
- ↑ Website: reddit.com/r/needforspeed (2022) Need for Speed Mobile 2022 (Tencent) Gameplay Leaked. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/needforspeed/comments/un9hfb/need_for_speed_mobile_2022_tencent_gameplay_leaked/
- ↑ Video: Unknown Gamer39 (2022) NFS 2022 ||Need for speed 2022 mobile game leaked gameplay #leaks #nfs #viral #viralvideo. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=qC9bSnPObHo
- ↑ Website: screenrant.com (2022) Need for Speed Game Reportedly Being Developed By Pokémon Unite Studio. Available at: https://screenrant.com/need-for-speed-mobile-pokemon-unite-studio-job-listing/
- ↑ Website: careers.tencent.com (2022) 15569. Available at: https://careers.tencent.com/search.html?keyword=15569-UE4%E7%9F%A5%E5%90%8DIP%E5%A4%A7%E4%B8%96%E7%95%8C%E5%86%99%E5%AE%9E%E8%B5%9B%E8%BD%A6%E6%89%8B%E6%B8%B8
- ↑ Website: reddit.com/r/needforspeed (2022) So Timi is working on an open-world Need For Speed for mobile, according to job offers (codename : Need for Speed online Mobile). The game seems to have made a good progress because it no longer appears in the 3Q21 pipeline, this most likely means it will be in testing phase soon. 2022 ? Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/needforspeed/comments/ru62nd/so_timi_is_working_on_an_openworld_need_for_speed/
- ↑ Website: inf.news (2022) Is Tencent going to attack "Need for Speed"? Available at: https://inf.news/en/game/f10f56a88e170aa0b1f09d5f4df0df1f.html
- ↑ Tweet: @ZhugeEX "EA also said that they have plans to bring Need for Speed back. This would probably include the Need for Speed Mobile game which is in development at Tencent, in addition to a new console game. Nothing to share on Dead Space today, other than the response from fans was positive." Available at: https://twitter.com/zhugeex/status/1423033471535091719
