NEED FOR SPEED 2022'S MULTIPLAYER MAY BE BIGGER THAN WE THOUGHT

The new Need for Speed game may have a pretty unique take on multiplayer for the series, according to a new leak. The Need for Speed series is one of the longest-running racing franchises in gaming and although the series has stumbled quite a bit over the last decade, it sounds like EA and Criterion are doing a lot to try and make its latest title the best it can possibly be. Although it was originally expected to release in 2021, EA delayed the game a year to allow Criterion to do support work on Battlefield 2042. Now, the developer is in the thick of the new racing game and it sounds like they're trying to shake things up quite a bit. A new report from Tom Henderson via eXputer says that the game, which is reportedly titled Need for Speed: Unbound, will be revealed sometime in July. As already reported, the new Need for Speed is expected to have "anime elements", largely related to a fantastical aesthetic. Henderson's report notes that if players are driving fast, flames, smoke, and wind will fly off of the car. The report also compares the character models to those from the animated TV series, The Boondocks. The biggest detail, however, suggests that players can initiate "meetups", which allow players to gather together and drive around the city and start races as they please. The tracks have been described as unique, with one having a train that goes through it while players are racing around it. It's unclear if this will actually impact how players move through the track, such as having to stop to wait for it to pass or risk getting hit by it, but it sounds like it could impact gameplay. In 2010, there was a racing game known as Split/Second which featured dangerous race tracks with planes, explosions, and other dangerous terrain to create an intense racing experience. It's possible that Need for Speed: Unbound will try and tap into that idea a bit more, but it's not totally clear at this time. Of course, as always, take this with a grain of salt since nothing has been confirmed.