It’s been almost two years since Electronic Arts launched a mainlineNeed for Speedgame, and the last entry in the series wasn’t without its stir of controversy. Following the massive backlash in November 2017 forStar Wars Battlefront 2’s loot box fiasco, EA determined thesame problems needed to be resolved inNeed for Speed Payback, which released in the same month, and showcased its own problems with a drawn out progression system that enticed players to try and spend real money to cut down on playtime needed to acquire new cosmetic and performance upgrades.
Now that EA has resolved its past predatory mistakes in monetization, this year looks to bring a return to form for theNeed for Speedfranchise. During the company’s quarterly earnings report to conclude the 2018 fiscal year, Electronic Arts confirmed the release of a newNeed for Speedtitle, as well as a newPlants vs. Zombies Garden Warfaregame, would be pivotal to help rebound EA’s revenue losses it revealed in said report.
EA’s earnings call also revealed that the sudden launch of Respawn Entertainment’sApex Legendswasn’t enough to spark a revenue gain for the company, despite being one of the most talked about games during the month of February. Looking ahead for the remainder of 2019, EA’s four major sports game,FIFA, Madden, NBA Live,andNHL, will look to bring a boost in sales during the Fall season.Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Orderwill be a game many keep an eye onas well, given both its close proximity to the theatrical release ofStar Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and EA’s recent history of cancelledStar Warsgames.
The untitledNeed for Speedis expected to launch later this year on various platforms.
