This year’s new Need for Speed game is reportedly now current-gen only

videogameschronicle.com:

A new Need for Speed game will be released this November for current-gen consoles only, it’s been claimed.

Speaking on his premium Giantbomb show Grubbsnax (paywalled, transcribed by VGC), VentureBeat’s Jeff Grubb said EA plans to release the latest title in the long-running racing franchise this holiday.

“Need for Speed is still coming this year… that’s true, that game should be coming in November,” Grubb said. “If you are a Need for Speed fan who has bought a next-gen console, here’s some news; it’s next-gen only. They are shifting to next-gen only.”

If true, it marks a change in strategy from EA. In 2021, the publisher delayed the release of the next Need for Speed game by a year and moved developer Criterion Games into a support role on Battlefield 2042.

Laura Miele, EA’s chief studio’s officer, told Polygon at the time that Criterion was still handling the new Need for Speed, which would now be released by March 2023 for platforms including current and last-gen consoles.

The last two entries in the series, 2017’s Need for Speed Payback and 2019’s Need for Speed Heat, were released simultaneously for PS4, Xbox and PC.

While Grubb didn’t mention plans for a PC version of the game, he claimed the title could take place in Miami, although he said he was not certain.

EA announced in February 2020 that it had handed Need for Speed development duties back to Criterion Games as it planned to restructure Ghost Games, which made the last four entries in the racing series

Guildford, England-based Criterion is best known for the Burnout series and has also developed two previous Need for Speed titles: 2010’s Hot Pursuit and 2012’s Most Wanted. It contributed to 2013’s Need for Speed Rivals too.