The Need for Speed series is said to be making a big comeback this year, with a new mainline title in the works. Need for Speed Mobile was being worked on by Tencent too, but now it seems the spinoff has gotten a false start. Gameplay and details have found their way online, and while we have to take the additional information with a grain of salt, the video is there for all to see.
Reddit user Clxbsport uploaded the gameplay, which looks like what you’d expect from Need for Speed on current day-mobile devices. That is to say, it looks pretty sharp, even if the screen is littered with watermarks. Faux buttons on the touch screen let you hit the gas, pump the breaks, boost with nitro, and drift around corners, while a translucent D-pad is used for steering. Have a look for yourself:
Clxbsport adds some additional details in the thread, though keep in mind that none of this has been confirmed by Tencent or EA. The map is lifted from Need for Speed Heat and given a few changes, but the game notably leaves out cop car chases — and any story elements, for that matter. It seems it’s purely about driving and completing challenges, with handling that feels “similar to Need for Speed Edge” according to Clxbsport. They claim that the game currently has just three cars: the McLaren F1, the Lamborghini Aventador SVJR, and the Lamborghini Gallardo. Given the gacha nature of many mobile games, cruising around and earning (or paying for) additional vehicles would make sense.
This mobile title is separate from the flagship Need for Speed game that’s in development — that’s had its own fair share of new stories too. Most recently, we learned that the new Need for Speed and four unannounced titles are part of EA’s 2022-2023 lineup. It’s reportedly releasing only on current-gen consoles this holiday.
