Need for Speed: World

Last updated

Need for Speed: World
Need-for-Speed-World.jpg
Cover art featuring a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Nissan 370Z being chased by police
Developer(s)
Publisher(s) Electronic Arts
Composer(s) Mick Gordon
Series Need for Speed
Platform(s) Microsoft Windows
Release
  • WW: July 27, 2010
[a]
Genre(s) Massively multiplayer online racing game
Mode(s) Multiplayer

Need for Speed: World (previously known as Need for Speed: World Online) is a massively multiplayer online racing game published by Electronic Arts, and the fifteenth installment of the publisher's Need for Speed franchise. It was co-developed by EA Black Box (rebranded as Quicklime Games during the game's operation) and EA Singapore, with Easy Studios and EA Vancouver later taking over operations during its run. It was the first freemium game in the Need for Speed series and was available on Microsoft Windows. World was released worldwide on July 27, 2010. However, people who ordered a "Starter Pack" had an early "head-start" in the game, which started on July 20, 2010. [1] [2]

Contents

Need for Speed: World, along with other EA free-to-play titles Battlefield Heroes , Battlefield Play4Free , and FIFA World , went offline on July 14, 2015. However, fan preservation efforts resurrected the game as an unofficial freeware title; the first known fan-run servers went online in 2017.

Gameplay

A screenshot of early gameplay, when the game was known as Need for Speed: World Online. World combines elements of role-playing with illegal street racing. NFSWO Screenshot.jpg
A screenshot of early gameplay, when the game was known as Need for Speed: World Online. World combines elements of role-playing with illegal street racing.

World has a similar gameplay style to 2005's Most Wanted and 2006's Carbon , focusing on illegal street racing, tuning, and police chases, and added some elements to the game such as "power-ups" (somewhat similar to Mario Kart). World was set in a fictional city which combined the cities of Rockport from Most Wanted and Palmont from Carbon into its map design, with redesigned graphics and new locations added to the map to connect the two cities. The game featured over 100 licensed cars consisting of multiple different variations of some. Manufactures ranged from Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen and there were over thirty manufacturers in the game.

Initially, after reaching a certain level, the player would not be able to progress further in the game and would cease to earn any more experience points or cash. To continue the game, the player had to purchase a "Starter Pack". Without it, the player was allowed to continue playing the game but would cease to earn experience and cash. [3] [4] On September 8, 2010, in celebration of the game reaching 1,000,000 registrations, the game was made completely free-to-play and the level cap was removed. [5]

In the initial release of version 4 (July 20, 2010), car performance could be improved via street or pro upgrade kits (purchased with in-game cash), depending on the car. The game also had "driver skills", three of which directly improved performance (acceleration, handling, top speed) and applied to any car that a player was driving. The skills unlocked as a player leveled up and a player could select up to 49 of 81 possible skills. [3] Once a skill was chosen, it couldn't be undone, and players would have to start with a new profile or account and level up again in order to choose a different set of skills. In a later update, the upgrade kits were removed and replaced by performance parts, each car having its own set of performance parts. [6] Later, "driver skills" were removed from the game and replaced with skill mods, each car having its own set of skill mods, which consisted of things such as increasing the car's impact force or earning more money from a race. The lowest rated parts and skill mods could be directly purchased for free using in-game "cash", but higher rated parts and skill mods could only be won by chance from card packs, either free "lucky draw" card packs rewarded at the end of any event, or card packs purchased with real money converted into the games microtransaction currency called "speed boost". [7] [8]

Visual aftermarket parts were made available in an update released on March 16, 2011, and later added to lucky draw in another update in December 2011. All the in-game cash bodykits from previous versions were removed, however, most body kits required SpeedBoost to purchase. There were several choices of customization, some which were exclusive to specific cars. Along with body kits there were spoilers, wheels, neons, hoods, window tint and license plates. Most of these parts, like bodykits, had to be paid with by SpeedBoost. Players could also redeem gifts that they could equip to their cars.

Development

The game was first announced to be free-to-play. In October 2009, World was opened to public beta-testing limited to residents of Taiwan. There have been seven closed beta sessions in total. Except the first one, all were available worldwide to residents who sign up, meet admission criteria, and get accepted.

The main part of the game's map was completed on October 26, 2010, when the final three areas (Downtown Rockport, Kempton, Fortuna) and the Turnpike bridge were added to the map.

Over time, the priority on game development transitioned into focusing on increasing revenue, so plans such as adding Carbon's canyons to the map, completion of the final link area, and addition of Need for Speed: Undercover 's map to the game were dropped. Eventually, most of the development focused on adding more cars to the game since the cars helped increase revenue, and the game evolved into a "pay to win" game as the best cars could only be purchased with real money. [9]

The EA Canada World team, later named Quicklime Games, which was in charge of game development, maintenance, and updates, was shut down on April 25, 2013. [10]

On September 10, 2013, a Community Manager announced that Easy Studios (developers for Battlefield Play4Free ) took over from what was left of the Quicklime Game team. [11]

Reception

Need for Speed: World received mixed reviews from critics. [12]

The highest praise of the game came from GamingXP, which commented that "The game feels like a combination of previous Need for Speed games except the single player has been cut off. Add some role-play elements and you have a racing MMO." [18] PC Format gave a somewhat mediocre review in their October 2010 issue, concluding that the game "feels like a missed opportunity." [19] Eurogamer commented that "It's a real shame that the MMO aspect of World is effectively a needlessly elaborate lobby." [20] In November 2012, World surpassed twenty million registered users. [21]

Closure

On April 15, 2015, EA announced that on July 14, 2015, they would be closing Need for Speed: World and turning off services for the game, as the publisher felt "that the game no longer lives up to the high standard set by the Need for Speed franchise." The ability to purchase SpeedBoost and create new accounts were disabled since the announcement. [22] [23]

Preservation project

Preservation efforts by fans to reverse engineer and make a playable version of the game led to a network of private servers under the title "Soapbox Race World" in 2017. [24] [25]

Notes

  1. ↑ Users who pre-ordered a Starter Pack received early access on July 20, 2010. [1]

Related Research Articles

Need for Speed (NFS) is a racing game franchise published by Electronic Arts and currently developed by Criterion Games. Most entries in the series are generally arcade racing games centered around illegal street racing, and tasks players to complete various types of races, while evading the local law enforcement in police pursuits. Some entries also do not follow the basic setup of most titles and are instead simulation racers, focus on legal circuit races, feature kart racing game elements, or feature illegal street racing but not feature police pursuits. Need for Speed is one of EA's oldest franchises not published under their EA Sports brand.

<i>Need for Speed: Underground</i> 2003 racing video game

Need for Speed: Underground is a 2003 racing video game and the seventh installment in the Need for Speed series following Hot Pursuit 2 (2002). It was developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. Three different versions of the game were produced: one for consoles and Microsoft Windows, and another for the Game Boy Advance. An arcade version developed by Global VR and co-published by Konami came out two years later.

<i>Need for Speed: Underground 2</i> 2004 racing video game

Need for Speed: Underground 2 is a 2004 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighth installment in the Need for Speed series and the direct sequel to Need for Speed: Underground. It was developed for Windows, GameCube, PlayStation 2, and Xbox. Game Boy Advance and Nintendo DS versions were developed by Pocketeers, and a PlayStation Portable version, titled Need for Speed: Underground Rivals, was developed by Team Fusion. Another version for mobile phones was also developed by Ideaworks Game Studio. Like its predecessor, it was also commercially successful, selling around 11 million copies worldwide and breaking sales records in the United Kingdom.

<i>Need for Speed: High Stakes</i> 1999 video game

Need for Speed: High Stakes, released as Need for Speed: Road Challenge in Europe, is a 1999 racing video game developed by EA Canada and EA Seattle and published by Electronic Arts for the PlayStation and Microsoft Windows. It is the fourth game in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit. The game features more realistic elements than its predecessors and introduced a damage system that allows cars to take damage when colliding with objects, affecting their appearance and performance. It also introduced a series of economy-based tournaments, awarding players with a cash prize that can be spent on repairing, purchasing, or upgrading cars for subsequent races. The game's Hot Pursuit mode, which was introduced in Hot Pursuit, was expanded with more options, allowing players to control police pursuits attempting to stop racers.

<i>Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed</i> 2000 racing video game

Need for Speed: Porsche Unleashed, released as Need for Speed: Porsche 2000 in Europe and Need for Speed: Porsche in Latin America and Germany, is a 2000 racing video game. It is the fifth installment in the Need for Speed series. Unlike other NFS titles, Porsche Unleashed centers on racing Porsche sports cars, with models ranging from years 1950 to 2000. The game generally considered the final classic Need for Speed title before EA Black Box took over development for mainline entries in the series for many years beginning with the PS2 version of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2. The game also marked the beginning of a 16 year exclusive licensing agreement between Porsche and EA that began in 2000 and ended in 2016 that prohibited most other developers from featuring Porsche cars in other video games without receiving a sub-license from EA. As a result of the licensing deal many games used Ruf models in place of Porsche to circumvent Porsche's licensing as Ruf is considered by the German government to be a full-fledged manufacturer, and as such Ruf models have unique VINs.

<i>Need for Speed: Carbon</i> 2006 racing video game

Need for Speed: Carbon is a 2006 racing video game and the tenth installment in the Need for Speed series. Developed by EA Black Box, Rovio Mobile and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on October 31, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Windows, and Mac OS X, and on November 19, 2006 as a launch title for the Wii and in 2008 for arcade cabinets. A portable version, Need for Speed: Carbon – Own the City, was released for the PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS. and Zeebo, While it featured similar gameplay to the console version, the portable versions included new or modified gameplay elements, a different setting and storyline, and a different selection of teammates. This is the final installment in the series to be released for Game Boy Advance.

<i>The Sims 3</i> 2009 video game

The Sims 3 is a 2009 social simulation video game developed by the Redwood Shores studio of Maxis, and published by Electronic Arts. Part of The Sims series, it is the sequel to The Sims 2. It was released on June 2, 2009, for Microsoft Windows, MacOS, and mobile versions. Console versions were released for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Nintendo DS in October 2010 and a month later for Wii. The Windows Phone version was released on October 15, 2010. A Nintendo 3DS version, released on March 27, 2011, was one of the platform's launch titles.

<i>Need for Speed: ProStreet</i> 2007 racing video game

Need for Speed: ProStreet is a 2007 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eleventh installment in the Need for Speed series and a follow-up to Need for Speed: Carbon (2006). Unlike its immediate predecessors, which focused on the contemporary illegal street racing scene, ProStreet focuses on legal circuit races that take place on closed tracks. The game blends elements of both sim and arcade racing games, requiring players to customize and tune cars for various race modes. Most races take place in real-world locations such as the Portland International Raceway, Mondello Park, and Autopolis.

<i>Need for Speed: Undercover</i> 2008 racing video game

Need for Speed: Undercover is a 2008 racing video game, and is the twelfth installment in the Need for Speed series following Need for Speed: ProStreet (2007). Developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on November 18, 2008, for the PlayStation 2, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, PlayStation Portable, Nintendo DS, and then on a number of mobile phone platforms in 2009.

<i>Need for Speed: Shift</i> 2009 racing video game

Need for Speed: Shift is a 2009 racing video game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Windows, and Xbox 360. Developed by EA Bright Light, a distinct version of the game was simultaneously released for PlayStation Portable. Two mobile adaptations were developed by IronMonkey Studios for Java-compatible devices and iOS and released in 2009, with the latter version subsequently being made available for several other mobile devices. Need for Speed: Shift is the thirteenth installment in the Need for Speed franchise.

<i>Need for Speed: Nitro</i> 2009 video game

Need for Speed: Nitro is a racing video game and the fourteenth title in the Need for Speed series. It was published by Electronic Arts for the Nintendo Wii and DS platforms. The Wii version was developed by EA Montreal, who have previous experience with Nintendo consoles, while the DS version was developed separately by Firebrand Games' Florida studio.

<i>Race or Die</i> 2009 video game

Race or Die is a MMO car racing game available on the Apple's iOS released in October 2009. It is initially a free application available on the iTunes App Store but users are encouraged to and often buy upgrades.

<i>Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit</i> (2010 video game) 2010 racing video game

Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is a 2010 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, Wii, Microsoft Windows, iOS, Android, webOS, and Windows Phone. The Wii version was developed by Exient Entertainment. Hot Pursuit is the sixteenth Need for Speed title and was released in November 2010, with digital distribution versions released within December 2010. The game serves as a revival of the Hot Pursuit name first used in 1998's Need for Speed III: Hot Pursuit.

<i>Shift 2: Unleashed</i> 2011 racing video game

Shift 2: Unleashed is a racing video game, the seventeenth installment of the Need for Speed series. It was developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts. The game serves as a direct sequel to Need for Speed: Shift and expands on many aspects that were introduced in the original. Shift 2: Unleashed was released worldwide during March and April 2011.

<i>Need for Speed: The Run</i> 2011 racing video game

Need for Speed: The Run is a 2011 racing video game developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts. It is the eighteenth installment in the Need for Speed series and is Black Box's final entry in the series before the studio's closure in April 2013. Following an extensive marketing campaign, the game was released on November 15, 2011, for PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS and Wii.

<i>Need for Speed: Most Wanted</i> (2012 video game) 2012 open world racing video game

Need for Speed: Most Wanted is a 2012 racing game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. Most Wanted is the nineteenth title in the Need for Speed series and was released worldwide for Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PlayStation Vita, iOS and Android, beginning in North America in 2012. A Wii U version, under the title Need for Speed: Most Wanted U, was released in 2013. Like its predecessor, the 2010 Hot Pursuit title, the game is a revival of the original 2005 Most Wanted title.

<i>Need for Speed Rivals</i> 2013 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and Criterion Games

Need for Speed Rivals is a 2013 racing video game developed in collaboration between Ghost Games and Criterion Games, and published by Electronic Arts. It is the twentieth installment in the Need for Speed series, and the debut title for Ghost Games.

<i>Need for Speed</i> (2015 video game) 2015 racing video game

Need for Speed is a 2015 online racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts. The game was released for PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in November 2015, while a Windows version released in March 2016. It is the twenty-second Need for Speed installment, and serves as a reboot of the franchise.

<i>Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes</i> 2015 video game

Star Wars: Galaxy of Heroes is a mobile collectible RPG game. The game received a soft launch in Australia during October 2015, and was formally released on November 24, 2015.

<i>Need for Speed Heat</i> 2019 racing video game developed by Ghost Games

Need for Speed Heat is a 2019 racing video game developed by Ghost Games and published by Electronic Arts for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. It is the twenty-fourth installment in the Need for Speed series and commemorates the series' 25th anniversary.

References

  1. 1 2 "Need for Speed World Launches July 27". Electronic Arts. July 9, 2010. Archived from the original on July 13, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Impulse Driven: Need for Speed World". Stardock Corporation. February 8, 2010. Archived from the original on May 29, 2010. Retrieved February 10, 2010.
  3. 1 2 GameTrailers (June 2, 2016). "Need For Speed World review". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 15, 2021.
  4. ↑ Hahn, Drew (May 18, 2010). "What is the Need For Speed Starter Pack?". Archived from the original on May 20, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  5. ↑ Hahn, Drew (September 9, 2010). "Need for Speed World Goes Free to Play". Archived from the original on September 8, 2010. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  6. ↑ EA, NeedForSpeed (October 21, 2010). "Ask Marc (performance parts)". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 15, 2021.
  7. ↑ EA, NeedForSpeed (June 2012). "Ask Marc (skill mods)". YouTube . Archived from the original on December 15, 2021.
  8. ↑ "NFS World: Skill Mods announced". Archived from the original on February 18, 2020. Retrieved February 18, 2020.
  9. ↑ Sun, Leo (March 4, 2014). "3 Ways Mobile Games Are Destroying the Video Game Industry". The Motley Fool . Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved May 4, 2018.
  10. ↑ Lien, Tracey (April 25, 2013). "EA restructure results in hundreds of layoffs, two studios closed". Polygon . Archived from the original on May 11, 2013. Retrieved May 11, 2013.
  11. ↑ "EA Forums". ea.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2016.
  12. 1 2 Need for Speed World Critic Reviews for PC Archived June 3, 2015, at the Wayback Machine . Metacritic . Retrieved December 2, 2010.
  13. ↑ NFS World Online Reviews. 1UP . Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  14. ↑ Need for Speed World MMO Review Archived August 5, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . Eurogamer.net . Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  15. ↑ Need for Speed World Review, PC Reviews Archived June 15, 2011, at the Wayback Machine . GamesRadar . Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  16. ↑ Need for Speed World Video Game, Review Archived August 16, 2010, at the Wayback Machine . GameTrailers.com. Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  17. ↑ (2010-08-06). Need for Speed World Review. IGN . Retrieved November 20, 2010.
  18. ↑ "NFS World Review". GamingXP. July 27, 2010. Archived from the original on October 7, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  19. ↑ "Need for Speed: World – Critic Reviews". Metacritic. December 24, 2010. Archived from the original on June 3, 2015. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  20. ↑ Jon Blyth (August 2, 2010). "Need for Speed: World review". Eurogamer. Archived from the original on September 9, 2011. Retrieved August 26, 2011.
  21. ↑ Kyle Hayth. "Need for Speed World: 20 Million Registered Users Racing Down the Lanes". browsergamez.com. Archived from the original on January 26, 2013. Retrieved November 7, 2011.
  22. ↑ "The Race is Coming to an End". NeedForSpeed.com. April 15, 2015. Archived from the original on April 17, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  23. ↑ Makuch, Eddie (April 15, 2015). "EA Closing Battlefield Heroes, Need for Speed World, FIFA World, and More". GameSpot . Archived from the original on April 18, 2015. Retrieved April 15, 2015.
  24. ↑ Arguello, Diego (June 11, 2020). "How players resurrected the Need for Speed MMO you didn't even know existed". PC Gamer. Archived from the original on April 11, 2023. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
  25. ↑ "Soapbox Race World". soapboxrace.world. Archived from the original on April 5, 2019. Retrieved February 15, 2021.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.