Ever the advocates of annualised franchises, EA has announced that the next entry in the ever-popular racing series Need For Speed won’t arrive until 2015.
Considering that the company has published a new title every year since 1997, many assumed that Ghost Games — the studio currently at the helm of the property — would be working on a follow-up to last year’s critically acclaimed Need for Speed: Rivals. However, the developer confirmed through its official website that this is simply not the case.
“Everyone here at Ghost Games in Gothenburg feels passionate about the Need for Speed franchise and Rivals was just the first step for us. We’ve made the decision to not release a Need for Speed in 2014, so we can work towards a highly innovative Need for Speed in 2015. An experience built on a foundation we know you’ll greatly look forward to.”
Rather than run the risk of stagnation, both EA and Ghost Games hope to give the franchise as a whole some breathing room. Additionally, by extending the development window until at least April 1, 2015, the company hopes to add a touch of innovation to Need for Speed as a franchise, as opposed to rehashing the familiar under a different subtitle.
Without doubt, this is good news for the brand. After all, having recently made the somewhat misguided jump to the silver screen, putting Need for Speed on the proverbial shelf for a year longer can only benefit EA’s series. Plus, with The Crew, Project CARS, Driveclub and Next Car Game all vying for a spot on this year’s starting grid, 2014 isn’t exactly crying out for another arcade racing experience.