Now that EA has resolved its past predatory mistakes in monetization, this year looks to bring a return to form for the Need for Speed franchise. During the company’s quarterly earnings report to conclude the 2018 fiscal year, Electronic Arts confirmed the release of a new Need for Speed title, as well as a new Plants vs. Zombies Garden Warfare game, 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’s Apex Legends wasn’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, and NHL, will look to bring a boost in sales during the Fall season. Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order will be a game many keep an eye on as well, given both its close proximity to the theatrical release of Star Wars Episode IX: The Rise of Skywalker, and EA’s recent history of cancelled Star Wars games.
While recent history may leave long time fans skeptical of what a new Need for Speed game may look like, EA will soon be able to provide all players with a chance to possibly try the game early. Beginning in July, months before the next Need for Speed is expected to launch, EA Access will launch on PS4. The service, which costs $4.99 / month and $29.99 / year, allows subscribers to buy games at a 10% discount, and even offer early access to select upcoming releases.
The untitled Need for Speed is expected to launch later this year on various platforms.
Source: GamesIndustry.biz
