Need for Speed 2017 – First Image, Brief Details & No Always-Online Requirement

First Look At NFS 2017

Need for Speed is back in 2017 and the first official look at the game has been released, along with small bits of info in relation to the direction it is heading.

For starters let’s get one of the main points out of the way, there will be cars... sorry, couldn’t resist that one. No, the one major surprise is that always-online is NOT a requirement for the single player experience in NFS 2017. Nothing said about whether online multiplayer can be played offline too, but we'd reckon that will be a definite no, for obvious reasons.

Modern-day NFS qualities such as customisation, police pursuits and epic jumps, will again feature, with the team at Ghost seemingly more excited about just watching what players will do in the world that they deliver, rather than telling them, what to do.

The main info drop will be coming in June as EA PLAY gets closer but even now we have been given some minor details, albeit lacking in any real concrete info, there are some tidbits about what we could expect with this one. Not least with the one and only image that has been shared. Where immediate impressions seem to hint that your character may be stuck behind a fence, or maybe starts off from a dive of a Motel. (in case you were wondering just like we were, the sign does indeed flash). A Nissan 350Z can be seen on the other side of this fence, whether it is yours or one of a choice for your character will remain to be seen, however that car has been a heavily requested (why?) one from the NFS (muppet)base so at they'll be happy.

With 2015's Need for Speed being mainly set in the dark and gloomy night, it is telling that the first image of the game we see is lit up by a bright sun. Now whether this is a sunrise or sunset I don't know but players have been vocal about bringing back the day and perhaps this is another acknowledging nod to their wants, from Ghost.

How the game environment may be is another thing that we get a small nudge in the ribs at, with this interesting mention within the blog post:

Now, in my insane mind I take this to mean we get to pilot diggers and heavy machinery, but as was pointed out to me on our twitter by @RahulMendes, it is more likely pointing to the inclusion of more dirt/off-road-oriented or rally cars, which is extremely exciting if it turns out to be true. Mind you, the DUB-spec Hummer on 12 foot tall spinners tackling a rocky pass, maybe not so much.  And if we think some more about this, is it possible that this game will have a large environment with varying surfaces... or maybe even be open-world?

Either way, we will be watching this game like a caffeine-drinking eagle, and are eager to see what Ghost have been able to do with another two-year development cycle. If 2015's Need for Speed is anything to go by, then it's probably going to be a damn fine game.

[via Need for Speed.com]

Updates

* May 10th 2017 - cleaned it up a bit as it was a bit stupid in places