Need For Speed Rivals announced for Xbox One and Playstation 4 [w/video]

Fri, 24 May 2013

Fresh from critical praise for the last installment in the series, Need For Speed: Most Wanted, Electronic Arts has formally announced that Need For Speed Rivals will be the next title in the series. Set to hit stores on November 19, the game will also be the first Need For Speed to be available on next-generation consoles Xbox One and Playstation 4, as well as the current Xbox 360 and Playstation 3.

The "rivals" in question for this NFS title are, of course, cops and street racers – nothing new there – but the gameplay is apparently getting a makeover. Players may choose to be racers, and live the life of evading cops, gaining infamy, videoing their slipperiest moves and earning Speed Points. They might also choose to play on the side of law enforcement; attaining higher ranks and faster police cars with more and increasingly challenging busts.

One big innovation in Rivals will be the use of a new play system called AllDrive. The concept is that a player can seamlessly move from playing in single player mode, to playing online with friends, without having to wait in a lobby or move through a menu interface. The game will merge one's play from single to multiplayer as your friends across the web go on and offline, and you can choose to interact with them or not, as you like.

One more item of note: Ferrari will be making its return to the NFS world in Rivals. The following press release mentions that the game has booked Ferrari for this new title, specifically calling out the F12 Berlinetta as being invited to the party. Continue on below for the official press release, as well as a short video teaser of the new game.

EA ANNOUNCES NEED FOR SPEED RIVALS RACING TO XBOX ONE AND PLAYSTATION 4

Cops & Racers Risk Everything on the Open Road with the New AllDrive Feature that Seamlessly Connects Friends into One Online Racing World

REDWOOD CITY, Calif. – May 23, 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 19, 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.

Players eager to bust racers from day one can pre-order Need for Speed Rivals at participating retailers and receive the Need for Speed Rivals Ultimate Cop Pack at no additional cost*. This pack offers exclusive access to a powerful collection of items including the Nissan GT-R Black Edition cop car, advanced pursuit technology, and a custom livery.

By Seyth Miersma