Need for Speed PSP to go online

By Ellie Gibson Published 14 October, 2005

But the PS2 version won't.

EA Canada's Larry LaPierre has confirmed that the PSP version of Need for Speed: Most Wanted will feature an online mode - but that the PS2 version won't.

Speaking to US website GameSpot, LaPierre said: "From the initial stages of development, there are many features on the drawing board that we want to put in the game in an ideal situation. We have to ask ourselves for every feature in the game, 'Will it meet our high standard of quality, and how will it affect the overall experience experience of the game?'

"In this case, we made a conscious decision to ship the PS2 game without online gameplay, because we were not able to meet that highest standard of quality we had hoped for in this online feature."

LaPierre did confirm that the PSP version - titled Need for Speed Most Wanted 5-1-0 - will have a two player online mode, however, and that there will be online modes in the PC, Xbox and Xbox 360 versions.

He denied that the decision was taken because the online play in previous PS2 NFS games hasn't been up to scratch, or because Xbox Live is a better service than, er, whatever the PS2 one is called, telling GameSpot: "I think both console systems have a great online community and great online gameplay. It was our decision, from a software standpoint, to pull the online gameplay from the PS2. Our decision was not based on the hardware."

So what of NFS 360, currently down as a console launch title? Well, LaPierre said the online experience will be "Very similar between platforms," adding: "If there was a feature that we were implementing on next gen, the current-gen team took it upon themselves to find a way to make it work for current gen.

"However, the two versions are not compatible online, as the content is not exactly the same between the two. Next-gen can obviously handle a much greater amount of detail in the worlds and traffic.

"It became unrealistic to have them share the same track experience without degrading the next-gen experience, which we felt was inappropriate," he added.

You can read the full interview on Gamespot.

Picture of Ellie.

About Ellie Gibson

Since joining Eurogamer in the mid 2000s, Ellie has written about subjects as diverse as the fall of Gizmondo, the rise of Hollyoaks actresses in Red Alert games and the noise a bear makes under NSFW circumstances.

Read more articles from Ellie by visiting the Ellie Gibson archive page.

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Comments (6) Latest comment 6 years ago

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

  • petebritish #1 6 years ago

    This is going to be the ultimate chav game PSP plus Need for Speed in the shopping centres or Mcdonalds.

    can see it now burberry cap with some souped up crap

    yeah but no but yeah

  • BBIAJ #2 6 years ago

    'Will it meet our high standard of quality, and how will it affect the overall experience experience of the game?'

    Erm, since when did EA have standards!?

  • kgthatsme #3 6 years ago

    "So what of NFS 360, currently down as a console launch title? Well, LaPierre said the online experience will be "Very similar between platforms," adding: "If there was a feature that we were implementing on next gen, the current-gen team took it upon themselves to find a way to make it work for current gen."

    Lovely so see the experience will be very similar between platforms, just what the poor sods who fork out £300 to set up an XBox360 were hoping for their 'next gen'

  • Beano #4 6 years ago

    He was talking about the ONLINE experience.

  • captainrentboy #5 6 years ago

    From previews i've seen on this title,it's supposedly considerably sexier on the xbox 360 than the other consoles.BUT!Who gives a fuck?It's need for speed,that or PGR3,it's gunna be a tough choice....& lets not start on EA's pathetic servers over the ones that pgr3 will be using.

  • Eurowhiner.net #6 6 years ago

    In this day and age of "cutting edge gaming technology", not having online is unforgivable. Personally, I like the Need For Speed series. Have done ever since they started 10 years ago. Sure, it's no PGR or Gran Turismo, but hey, if I want simulation, I buy simulation. If I want goofing around, I buy goofing around. But not being able to go online AND goof around? Well bend me over, slap my butt and call me Jody Marsh :/

    Surely as consumers we expect "online" as standard now, or is that just me? Like most of us, I'll whine about it not having online but end up buying it anyway. Yes, I hate myself for it every day...