Need for Speed Getting Canned? Edit: EA Cutting 1k Jobs

[Tabasco]

http://www.1up.com/do/newsStory?cId=3171828



http://kotaku.com/5114113/ea-reducing-work-force-by-1000-closing-9-locations

[Eel O'Brian]

haven't the last few been horrid

[y2kev]

I don't think so.

[Olivia Wilde Homo]

Last good one was Most Wanted IMO

[Bocsius]

Never played one. Maybe EA was counting on me, and I let them down.

[Sho Nuff]

But I thought these sold quite well

[Bebpo]

I'm actually not sure if I ever played NFS.

I thought I did back in the day on PC, but then I googled some pics of the first game and I think maybe I was playing Test Drive.  I did try one of the recent demos on X360 and it seemed fairly awful.

[tiesto]

Ehhh, can't say they will be missed. More games like Mirror's Edge, and hell even Skate, please, EA... and less wigger ricer games.

[y2kev]

If this game sells 200k per sku (and the 360 and Wii skus will guaranteed sell more), I can't imagine this not being a profitable venture for EA. In decline, but that doesn't mean "cancel" to me. Seems like something EA would just...fix.

[Bebpo]

Yeah, but didn't you hear?

EA is going indie!  They're all about losing money and putting out awesome games that represent the people!  Not the man!  I bet they cancel Madden next.

[y2kev]

EA is indie just like Ubisoft. Put out poop to fund their indie stuff.

Mirror's Edge is going to mentally scar EA for a very long time I think.

[Himu]

I remember when NFS owned and wasn't this shitty sandbox esque racing shit.

[cool breeze]

Last time there was a great NFS game was Hot Pursuit 2 on PS2.  I didn't think Most Wanted was really that great, the Underground games were boring versions of fun games, and everything since Carbon has been on the decline.  EA has Burnout as their arcade racing franchise and I don't think they're capable of doing a realistic racer, so I think it's time they let the NFS series die.

With GRID, Midnight Club, and Bizarre's new racer (unless the mario kart meets forza thing is a bit too crazy) all being good game and offering similar experiences, why would you go back to NFS other than the namesake?

Sacrifice Need for Speed for a new SSX

[Himu]

SSX3 is the best sports game ever. Make a true sequel, EA!

[pilonv1]

But I thought these sold quite well

Peaked at Underground 2 I think. Although Most Wanted did ok. Carbon less so and Pro Street was a let down.

[HyperZoneWasAwesome]

not to mention that Most Wanted had some pretty high production values and a buttload of SKUs.  EA was spending triple AAA money and only getting single A sales, they probably got the crazy idea that the funds a marginally profitable series in a too crowded and declining in popularity genre could be better placed somewhere, anywhere else.

There's very few series, even the ones I love most, that I'd want to see annual installments for.  So, good move EA.  Two year cycle or nothing, I can respect that (hint hint Activision).

[ferrarimanf355]

I remember when NFS owned and wasn't this shitty sandbox esque racing shit.

Me, too.

Apparently, NFS won't die, but a future NFS game will be handled by Criterion...

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/rumor-need-for-speed-series-has-been-canceled/

[littlemathletics]

I'd be sad to see it canned completely. It's not great, and doesn't innovate much, but it's solidly fun whenever I pick up a cheap copy.

[chronovore]

I remember when NFS owned and wasn't this shitty sandbox esque racing shit.

Me, too.

Apparently, NFS won't die, but a future NFS game will be handled by Criterion...

http://www.joystiq.com/2008/12/14/rumor-need-for-speed-series-has-been-canceled/

I don't buy the "secret sauce" from their secret source. The stuff about Black Box structure doesn't sound right.

If anything NFS would not fall under Riticello's "more quality" category, and while the franchise is still worth money, it's likely that the team responsible for it lately isn't capable of bringing their best to it anymore. Criterion's a logical choice /if/ the whole "golly, we've worked a year on this 'free' Island package, and now you guys need to pay for it" change of plans doesn't work out for them.

[DJ_Tet]

It's criminal that Need For Speed has gone this long and we can't even get a decent Road Rash.

[Tabasco]

http://kotaku.com/5114113/ea-reducing-work-force-by-1000-closing-9-locations

[BlueTsunami]

Need for Speed in the vein of Burnout Paradise would be awesome. More cops and less bitches and rice burners.

[Grecco]

Last NFS i played was the first underground on gamecube. They got progressively shittyer.

[Zaxxon]

I heard this rumour a little while ago, and when last Friday rolled around and no one got fired I thought it was false (also my friend at Black Box denied it), but now, this Friday, it's been announced so the rumour was right after all.

If the entire rumour that I heard is to be believed then Black Box is moving to EA Canada in Burnaby and the NFS franchise is moving over to Criterion for a year or so. Apparently the goal is either next years or the year afters will be by Criterion, one year will be by some other company that usually ports NFS to various platforms, and then after two years Black Box will get the game back after they've built up new tech.

[demi]

SKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE

[demi]

I heard this rumour a little while ago, and when last Friday rolled around and no one got fired I thought it was false (also my friend at Black Box denied it), but now, this Friday, it's been announced so the rumour was right after all.

If the entire rumour that I heard is to be believed then Black Box is moving to EA Canada in Burnaby and the NFS franchise is moving over to Criterion for a year or so. Apparently the goal is either next years or the year afters will be by Criterion, one year will be by some other company that usually ports NFS to various platforms, and then after two years Black Box will get the game back after they've built up new tech.

Tell anyone you know at Black Box that I've got some jobs available.

[Zaxxon]

SKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE

Skate It was critically panned so if it bombs this december maybe the Skate team will be in trouble too 

[demi]

but no its on the wii it will save the industry and ea

anyway if you do know anyone at Black Box, i really do have some jobs available - canadian ones even. vancouver based.

[archie4208]

but no its on the wii it will save the industry and ea

Nintendo: killing the industry one developer at a time. 

[patrickula]

EA's on Steam now so I'm sure they'll be fine 

[Himu]

SKAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAATE

Skate It was critically panned so if it bombs this december maybe the Skate team will be in trouble too 

They fucked up Skate 2?

[Beezy]

Well they have Burnout now, so NFS is no longer necessary. The only one that I ever really liked was Porsche Unleashed.

[y2kev]

I think that NFS has much more selling potential though. Provided it is good. A NFS: Burnout would sell like gangbusters if it like...waited two years and was good.

[Darunia]

EA is indie just like Ubisoft. Put out poop to fund their indie stuff.

Mirror's Edge is going to mentally scar EA for a very long time I think.

did you listen to that GWJ podcast with Jeff Green in it? apparently it's officially a 'disaster'

such a shame that game didn't sell more

[y2kev]

I've said before it's going to scar. Whenever they are thinking about risks in the future-- economy bad or not-- it's going to be compared to ME.

I feel kind of on the outs. I don't really like the game. But I did buy it, so it doesn't matter. I will give it another play over Christmas. Chapters 7-9 just left such a horrible taste in my mouth. I was liking it until it got combat heavy.

[ManaByte]

Mirror's Edge would've sold on Wii.

[y2kev]

Oh, how is GWJ podcast? Worth listening to?

[Darunia]

Oh, how is GWJ podcast? Worth listening to?

Well obviously when they have Jeff and/or Shawn over it's awesome, but I've listened to one ep with just the regular crew and it's just decent. Not something i'd listen to every week though