Satisfying A Need for Speed At EA Play
NFS Comes To Hollywood

In the world of video gaming, the annual Electronic Entertainment Expo week in Los Angeles easily rates as the most anticipated few days of the year. E3 and the satellite events run around it showcase what’s new in hardware and software, and at the center of it all are major industry announcements and game previews.

It’s not something we’d normally share with you on Speedhunters, but given our family ties to Need for Speed, we’re making an exception to take you on a quick behind the scenes tour of the game’s official presence in LA over the weekend.

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As it did in 2016, Electronic Arts (EA) chose to forego exhibiting at the E3 expo itself, instead hosting its own event in the city in the days prior. This time around it was the Hollywood Palladium on Sunset Boulevard that was transformed into a gamer’s paradise for EA Play 2017.

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Where traditionally E3 has been a trade affair, much like the SEMA Show is for the automotive aftermarket, the EA Play event was designed to accommodate both the industry and public, allowing those who take their gaming seriously – whether it be for business or for fun – to get hands-on with the newest titles from EA’s studios around the world ahead of their respective releases.

That being said, with a new episode in the Need for Speed franchise now only six months away, some of the team from Ghost Games in Sweden were in LA and excited to demo the new game.

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While game production is left squarely in the minds and hands of the talented Ghost team, Speedhunters lends assistance wherever else it can, and for EA Play 2017 that extended to sourcing a couple of fine machines to take centerstage in the Need for Speed Payback booth.

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Representing the old school side of the equation was Roy De Guzman‘s simply epic ’72 KGC10 Nissan Skyline 2000 GT. Roy’s Hakosuka is not only very well known in the US kyusha scene, it’s an ex-Speedhunters feature car that’s just been immortalized as a Hot Wheels die-cast.

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And representing a newer school of car and modification, a super clean Pandem-kitted, Air Lift-equipped and Work Wheels-fitted E46 BMW M3 belonging to Will from iDL Design USA. A big thanks to Darren at iDL for helping us out with this one.

Together, both cars put an exclamation mark on the fact that modified cars remain at the very core of the next Need for Speed release even though the game itself has evolved into more of an action driving fantasy.

Following on from the official trailer release at the beginning of the month, Need for Speed Payback’s introduction at EA Play included the first look at actual gameplay. That came about through the ‘Highway Heist’ mission scene, featuring a Ford Mustang RTR, a mob of super-aggressively driven BMW SUVs, a truck and a Koenigsegg Regera. You can check that out by hitting the play button.

Gamers at EA Play not only had a chance to sample the heist scene for themselves, they were also introduced to some of the cars in the game (including the derelicts). Both of those elements are covered off nicely in the video above.

But given that this is Speedhunters and that our main interests lie in cars as objects of performance and art, we’re going to leave you with one final video that gives a quick preview of some of the options for creating unique virtual machines in the Need for Speed Payback world.

Brad Lord
Instagram: speedhunters_brad
brad@speedhunters.com

Photos by Louis Yio
Instagram: lusciousy
louis@speedhunters.com

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15 comments

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1

I like the derelict concept. Kinda harks back to the old days when you had to find stuff instead of buying it.

2

More wheels.

3

this, more 70s-90s jdm wheels

4

This is all well and good. Visually the game appears to have advanced where the 2015 title left off, so that's good. However, what I have not heard talked about, and my biggest concern, was how the game handles. 2015's handling characteristics were horrendous. I stopped playing last April after the last update because of it. I played it recently and I couldn't remember the last time a game which centered on cars handled so bad. I've played every Need for Speed game and I have high hopes for this new one. But given the last three console games, I am very skeptical.

5

wait wait waiiiiittttt a second, this whole thing is fabrication, ain't no such thing as a girl at an event that revolves around games that also revolves around cars haha!

6

If you liked it then you shoulda put a ring on it



-Beyonce

7

The question is....will there be steering wheel compatibility? I know it's an arcady game, but I would still appreciate being able to use my Thrustmaster.

8
Dino Dalle Carbonare

Roy's Hakosuka looks badass!!

9

damn they even caught BlackPanthaa in the act XD

10
BitchingNotAllowed

Sooo they're making fast and furious out of it now? Focusing on action rather than cars is something that was very criticized in F & F. Yet, EA decided to do the same thing. I played the last NFS and it was nice to see Dino there, but the driving physics were garbage. I am sorry to be criticizing so much but I really hate what NFS franchise became. I wish you had family ties with Forza franchise, or some other game that is focused on cars and driving, rather than on being flashy money factory.

11

the gameplay looks absolutely horrible.. and a Mustang RTR which needs NOS to get up to 120 mph to follow a huge truck? come on..
don't do "cheap-fast-and-furious-2017-action-style", a game like this should be car- and gameplay focused - i hope it is way better than the trailers/gameplay-demo

12
Dissapointed NFS player

It's like they found a couple sponsors from speedhunters and that's the extent of their research into cars and car culture. It's clear that whoever is involved in making this game knows squat about cars or driving. Hell that one idiot acted like there isn't much out there to do to the original beetle! Lmao NFS is now a huge joke

13

I`ve already played this a couple of times

......Yeah i see that lol......

14
Chris Colouryum

Is there custom livery building?

15
Dissapointed NFS player

Totally and utterly lame. I hate the handling and RETARDED F&tF style action just as much as anyone but there are worse things for me about this entry. So it looks like the exact same amount of modification options as the last game. That guy in the video!! There isn't much out there to be done to a beetle.... WHAT?? Like WTF did that guy say!?!? I'm like positive that the original VW beetle is one of the most customized cars of all time.
It's clear that whoever is making this game.. they're not car people to say the least. Terrible car list, puny mods that barely add to the last entry, arcade handling, F&F children's fantasy. I bought the previous NFS and was so dissapointed, sadly that will probably be the last NFS I buy

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