EA Black Box doing secret NFS game

By Robert Purchese Published 30 January, 2009

"Our strategy is the inverse of milking."

EA Games marketing bigwig Keith Munro has told Eurogamer there is one more secret Need For Speed game in development beyond the three titles revealed earlier today.

"Black Box is currently working on a future action title in the franchise," said Munro, playing his car-cards close to his car-chest. [Are you phoning this in? - Ed]

Presumably this game will continue the street-racing series trend of late, as the newly-announced Need for Speed: Shift (PC, 360, PS3, PSP) moves towards simulation racing and away from urban culture. But otherwise, details are scarce.

That's four games. Could this be a case of EA playing safe in the face of the economic crises and milking a safe and proven brand?

Not according to Munro, who said the credit crunch had "not played any role" and that work began "long before" we all began feeling the pinch.

"This isn't about quantity, this is about crafting different games for different audiences and their unique tastes in the driving category," he explained.

"The motivation was purely driven by our understanding of racing gamers and their desire to experience different kinds of racing games. I would say that our strategy is the inverse of milking; it is an intentionally non-traditional approach."

"We took a consumer-first approach and spoke with the fans about what they would like from their Need for Speed. Player feedback was consistent - create custom simulation and arcade experiences but maintain the franchises' core values of street culture, attitude and beautiful licensed cars," he added.

Head over to our NFS: Shift, NFS: Nitro and NFS: World Online reveal story to find out more.

Picture of Robert.

About Robert Purchese

Bertie is Eurogamer's Senior Staff Writer. When he's not hunting down news stories he's often found playing with his kids or gabbling about fantasy games and strange online worlds.

Read more articles from Robert by visiting the Robert Purchese archive page.

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Comments (21) 3 years ago

Comments threads automatically close after 30 days, but please feel free to continue chatting on the forum!

  • seasidebaz #1 3 years ago

    opposite of milking
    So what they're doing is taking the milk and forcing it back up the cows' udders?


    Ewwwwwww

  • Bealsy #2 3 years ago

    Maybe they'll go back to the original need for speed games. They were ace. some kind of across america gumball type race thing would go down well for me.

  • Triggerhappytel #3 3 years ago

    Ha ha, what a load of bull. If this was the inverse of milking they'd release one game every four or five years to ensure a tremendously high quality.

    My guess is that they'll be doing at least one game a bit like Wheelman; more of a driving action-adventure type. Anyway, yawn.

  • MyPointIs #4 3 years ago

    The spin doctors are back!

  • jaluuk #5 3 years ago

    Inverse of milking != shitloads of new games.

  • Eraysor #6 3 years ago

    With all the funding going to these games, the new IPs like Mirror's Edge and Dead Space don't have a chance at getting decent money >_

  • MENTAL1ST Verified Senior Software Engineer, Picsel UK Ltd. #7 3 years ago

    If this one is still secret while the others have been announced, then presumably it won't be out until next year.

    It's still franchise milking, since they're having other studios brining out NFS-branded games in the meantime, but at least it'll give the Black Box guys a decent amount of time to hone the next 'regular' NFS game into one of the better ones like Most Wanted or even Porsche Unleashed.

  • Steroyd #8 3 years ago

    "Our strategy is the inverse of milking."

    ha ha HAAAAA!

  • Eraysor #9 3 years ago

    Mem, Criterion make Burnout.

  • 4thVariety #10 3 years ago

    We get money for playing a NfS game? About time! ;)

  • secombe #11 3 years ago

    Ha ha, what a load of bull. If this was the inverse of milking they'd release one game every four or five years to ensure a tremendously high quality.

    On the plus side, the obscenely talented ex-Blimey! team are working on the SHIFT NFS variant, sohopefully as there is already at least one arcadey driving game being developed, SHIFT can go off and be a relatively serious sim game as they surely won't want too much crossover.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/09 @ 12:20

  • Dan234 #12 3 years ago

    "We took a consumer-first approach and spoke with the fans about what they would like from their Need for Speed. Player feedback was consistent - create custom simulation and arcade experiences but maintain the franchises' core values of street culture, attitude and beautiful licensed cars."

    So basically they ask everyone what they want and then do everything they want. That always turns out well.

    The forth NFS game will be called Need for Speed: Snakes in a Car.

  • oreillymj #13 3 years ago

    No rap music and no pointless storyline where I have to go talking to my "homies" for an hour before I can start driving the car. Oh and no subliminal advertising for a mobile phone company that doesn't exist outside the US. I don't want missions texted to me.

    Cut out the pointless shite and let me drive.
    Edited by 1 at 30/01/09 @ 13:31

  • Postumo #14 3 years ago

    Need for Speed: Unwanted

    The Chronicles of Riddick: Escape from Need for Speed

    Need for Speed: world at war

    Need for Speed: legends

    Need for Speed: A new hope

    Need for Speed: the reveng of the BMW dude!

  • hiddenranbir #15 3 years ago

    Munro is a dick.

  • ronuds #16 3 years ago

    "No rap music and no pointless storyline where I have to go talking to my "homies" for an hour before I can start driving the car"

    Oh good grief, is EA still doing this? LOL!!! They spend too much time in the hood apparently.

    And not milking a franchise means you make a new one with an entirely different name. Dumbasses...

  • smelly #17 3 years ago

    would've prefered they ditched nfs and did skate 3 instead..

  • smelly #18 3 years ago

    @Postumo: NFS Kart!

  • MyPointIs #19 3 years ago

    Trust me when I say that having sex is THE INVERSE of f*cking!

    (Maybe he means synoninverse)
    Edited by 1 at 31/01/09 @ 03:18

  • firefly #20 3 years ago

    Hmm. I'd have either described the inverse of milking as refusing to release another game despite the fact that there are loads of fans crying out for a new one, or releasing lots of new titles despite the fact that a series doesn't make any money.

    Neither of these can be applied to the current situation. Milking is exactly what this is.

  • dirk_aircool #21 3 years ago

    NFS: Well Written Game Engine .