EA's Executive Vice President Vince Zampella recently provided an update on the current status of the Need for Speed (NFS) series. It has been over two years since the release of NFS Unbound, and fans have been eagerly awaiting news on the franchise's future. However, EA has not made any new announcements regarding Need for Speed.
The reason for this delay is that Criterion Games, the studio behind NFS, is currently dedicating its efforts to developing the next installment in the Battlefield series. According to Zampella, EA's primary focus at the moment is on the new Battlefield game, which is being crafted with a keen eye on player feedback. This ambitious project involves collaboration from four different studios, indicating EA's full commitment to its success.
Zampella has emphasized that the team aims to steer clear of the pitfalls experienced with Battlefield 2042, which faced significant backlash upon its release due to contentious gameplay choices. This player-centric approach is also being applied to new content for NFS Unbound, showing EA's commitment to improving based on community input.
It appears that EA will likely shift its focus back to Need for Speed only after the launch and initial support period of the new Battlefield game. This might not be a negative development for NFS fans, as recent entries in the series have left some players underwhelmed. Taking time to reboot the franchise with a focus on player feedback could be beneficial, allowing fans to move past previous disappointments and build up nostalgia for the series.
In the meantime, fans should not anticipate any immediate announcements about new Need for Speed titles. EA's current priority is clear, and the future of NFS will have to wait until after the next Battlefield game sees the light of day.
