The Rise And Fall Of Need For Speed — What Went Wrong?

Cars and motor vehicles, particularly high-speed sports ones, have always been a popular hobby, especially among males of all ages. Who doesn’t want to experience the thrill of a high-speed ride? I know I do (But remember kids, safety first). Unfortunately, real-life sports cars are a bit above my budget, and my intentions are a bit too risky, so I make do with virtual racing for now; there’s a reason such games are so popular.

Plenty such games exist out there, but today I’d like to discuss the series I played the most as a kid: Need for Speed. It may have declined now, but it was good stuff once. So, let’s discuss the present a bit while reminiscing about the glory days, and if it all becomes a little too stimulating, you can visit Octane Rent and try your hand in real cars.

The Peak Era Of Need For Speed

I still vividly remember the day I got my PS2; it’s one of my fondest memories. And one of the earliest games I played on it was Need for Speed: Most Wanted. Returning home from school and booting up that majestic, era-appropriate Need for Speed with the yellow filter and speeding across the map with the iconic BMW GTR, it was beyond exhilarating. 

Many people hold Underground 2 in high regard, and while I wholeheartedly agree, I actually played Most Wanted first, so my feelings for it are a little stronger. Still, the fact remains that whether you pick the former or the latter, that particular era of Need For Speed was filled with hits. Underground 2, Most Wanted, Hot Pursuit, and Shift, it was one banger after another.

The core appeal of Need for Speed and what differentiates it from other series like Gran Turismo and Forza is how those offer a more realistic, simulation experience, while NFS is all about over-the-top arcade racing with high stakes and adrenaline gameplay (except Shift). These older games understood this perfectly and delivered an experience tailored to these needs. There were no pitfalls, no microtransactions, no mechanics flaws, just pure unadulterated fun.

How playing NFSMW felt like in comparison to other racing games at the time.
byu/AngryPeasant2 inneedforspeed

The Decining State Of Things

Need for Speed remains a series close to my heart, which is exactly why it pains me to see the current state of the series. From its innovative beginnings, filled with creative gameplay, to the stale and monotonous today, we’ve come a long way and not in a good way.

After NFS Shift, things started going sort of downhill. The Modern Warfare 2012 remaster didn’t help. After that, it was NFS Rivals, which is probably the last amazing Need for Speed game I played. I foolishly thought things were going to get better now and kept on hoping, only to be disappointed.

modern NFS is just a reskin of NFS 2015 over and over again
by inneedforspeed

After Rivals, Need for Speed started taking everything for granted and just stopped trying. There was no innovation, no unique mechanics, just more of the same. It went for quantity rather than quality. I think NFS had become a brand with recognition, and there was no need to go extra hard on the series anymore. I think Heat was again a solid concept, but even more than dwindling quality, NFS’s biggest problem was EA.

EA’s Way Of Doing Things

Need for Speed was once handled by passionate developers who cared about a quality experience. Over the years, it just became a source of money for EA, which made bad decisions regarding how the series would be handled. It’s no surprise, considering its EA, but I still lament the fate of this series. EA had a gem in its hand, but unfortunately, it refused to give it much importance.

EA just needed to keep NFS going, regardless of the quality. By the time of the latest entries, it wasn’t even in EA’s top priorities list anymore. There were other, more financially successful franchises, and that’s all that mattered. NFS was shafted to lesser developers, no attention to innovation was given, and the goal was to just keep the arcade gameplay mechanics people loved afloat with no changes whatsoever. Even a good thing becomes boring in excess.

With Criterion being whisked away to work on the next Battlefield, when and what do you expect from the next Need For Speed game?
byu/nukleabomb inneedforspeed

On top of that, EA is practically notorious in the gaming industry for its anti-consumer pricing and microtransaction tendencies. Many of EA’s franchises suffered as a result of this, and Need for Speed is no exception. It’s a harsh reality, but the way things are going, a revival would be a miracle.

Need For Speed Deserves To Shine

With a said and done, even though the franchise is in a declining state, I still firmly believe there is a lot of potential here. Arcade, high-stakes racing with a touch of fantastical brilliance is something hyperrealistic simulation cannot replace, and as long as this genre remains enjoyable, Need for Speed has a pace among the stars. However, this is only true if EA gives the series the proper treatment and attention. 

I think what it lacks is innovation of the mechanics and creative additions, similar to what titles in the 2000s did. Instead of just rehashing the same old, it’s time to do something new. Or better, bring back the over-the-top action of some classic game modes. There’s always the option of going the Blur route and adding more power-up style fun to it. Whatever the idea, a change is needed for NFS to soar again.