So here’s another terrible idea that has drunkenly stumbled from out of the brains of the video game industry: the upcoming Need For Speed reboot will require an online connection.
Seemingly having paid no attention to the multiple instances of always online games not working, publisher EA and developer Ghost Games have decided that they will force users to be online when they’re playing the racing game. This news was broken on the game’s official Twitter account after a follower asked whether an Internet connection would be required to play it, to which the NFS team responded: “To deliver the best experience possible and make playing with friends more rewarding, an online connection will be required.”
Also See: Nintendo E3 2015 Predictions: The Wii U’s Last Stand
The reboot will reportedly have dedicated servers, though those familiar with the EA/Origin servers know that they’re inconsistent to say the least, making this worrying news for NFS fans. EA said that making the game always online would lead to “more variety and a more rewarding experience with friends,” with it allowing them to “push the boundaries of the overall experience” for its players.
With very little details regarding the upcoming game having been released yet, it’s uncertain how this always online requirement will benefit its gameplay. The game’s description states that it will allow players to “carve [their] own unique path” with “multiple overlapping stories,” and EA has also confirmed that a single-player mode will be featured though the game will still require an online connection even if players just want to engage in some solo play.
It’s a little too early to write the game off just yet, though given our past experiences with always online games we certainly cannot be blamed for being skeptical of just how beneficial enforcing these kinds of restrictions will be to the game itself. Considering EA are the masterminds behind the disastrous SimCity 2013, which serves as the poster child for why games shouldn’t force players to have an online connection, this news isn’t going to go down well.
