SYDNEY, Australia. – May 24, 2013 – Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA), today announced Need for Speed™ Rivals, an action/racing game created by an inspired new development team, using a powerful engine and delivering next-generation gameplay. Need for Speed Rivals is being developed by EA’s newest studio Ghost Games, who bring new thinking and innovation to the Need for Speed franchise in partnership with the expert racing team at Criterion Games. Built on the Frostbite™ 3 game engine , Need for Speed Rivals captures the adrenaline and intensity of the street’s ultimate rivalry between cops and racers, in a stunning open road environment. Need for Speed Rivals is coming to Xbox 360® game and entertainment system from Microsoft, the PlayStation®3 computer entertainment system and PC on November 21, 2013 and will also be released on Xbox One, the all-in-one games and entertainment system from Microsoft, and PlayStation 4 later this year.
In Need for Speed Rivals, gamers play as either a cop or racer, where each side of the law has its own set of high stakes challenges, rewards and consequences. As a racer, the goal is to become infamous for taking risks behind the wheel and capturing your most intense escapes on video for the world to see. The more cops players evade, the more Speed Points they collect, enabling them to unlock new cars and items. Keep raising the stakes race after race to become an ever-more valuable target to the cops – but risk losing it all if busted. As a cop, players work together as part of a team in pursuit of racers, earning prominence and rising in the ranks of the Police Force with every bust. Achieving higher ranks unlocks new police only cars and more powerful pursuit tech. Ghost Games also announced today the long-awaited return of Ferrari to the Need for Speed franchise . For the first time in seven years, gamers can get behind the wheel of some of the most luxurious, desirable automobiles on the planet, including the F12berlinetta. Spokesperson Stefano Saporetti, Head of Brand Operations in Ferrari added, “We are back in the Need For Speed franchise, starting with Need for Speed Rivals, as we want the fans of this world famous and award winning racing game saga to be able again to feel the excitement of the Ferrari Brand and cars.”
At the heart of Need for Speed Rivals is AllDrive, an innovative new online feature that allows gamers to seamlessly transition from playing alone, to playing with friends, eliminating the line between single player and multiplayer. Players will have to keep one eye on their rearview mirror as friends will be able to enter and exit races on-the-fly, creating a world where no two events will ever be the same. “The Need for Speed franchise has been an industry leader bringing social competition to the forefront in games,” said Marcus Nilsson, Executive Producer, Ghost Games. “For the first time, players will have the freedom to seamlessly go from single player to co-op to multiplayer. In Need for Speed Rivals we are creating one game experience with one progression, where the freedom to play with friends is more fluid and accessible than ever before.” Need for Speed Rivals pushes the limits of racing games with all-new and improved features:
- Next-Gen Racing – Redview County is brought to life with stunning, next-generation detail and weather effects that force drivers to master the elements, as well as the competition.
- Need for Speed Network Powered by Autolog – Gamers can compare stats and challenge their friends anytime, anywhere and then easily share their accomplishments with both friends and rivals.
- Personalization – Drivers customize their ride with fresh paintjobs, custom license plates, liveries, decals, rims, and performance upgrades.
- Pursuit and Evasion Tech – Street racing explodes with 11 upgradeable gadgets including turbo boosts, jammers and EMPs for racers, and shockwaves, roadblocks and helicopters for cops.