Need for Speed Unboundis less than two months from launch but was only revealed a couple of weeks ago. There’s been a lot of hype around the next Need for Speed game, ever since it was confirmed long ago, but that hype is definitely small in comparison to other long-lasting franchises. That’s not to say the franchise does not have its dedicated fanbase or reasons for hype, but that the attention to theracing game genrehas dwindled over the years. And that in and of itself speaks to the very raceNeed for Speed Unboundfinds itself in.
When asked what thebestNeed for Speedgameis, many are going to say it wasMost Wanted (2005). It may be another game around that era likeNeed for Speed Underground, Carbon, or any number of others, but few may really talk about the latest games likeNeed for Speed PaybackorHeat. That’s not because they’re not good racing games in their own right, but that racing games have peaked. Sure, there are titles likeGran TurismoorForza,but those titles have done a lot to identify themselves as part of, but distinct elements of, the racing genre.Need for Speedis really the only AAA street-racing title that would instantly come to anyone’s mind, and that’s because of the time it’s been around.
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Need for Speed Unbound: Racing Against Time
The thing is,Need for Speed Unboundhas two months to convince non-diehard fans to pick up a racing game shortly after the likes ofGod of War RagnarokandPokemon Scarlet and Violetcome out. It has to compete for attention againstThe Callisto Protocol,with which it shares a release date. That’s a hard sell in a limited amount of time. But it doing that, the dev also has to prove thatNFS Unboundis different from past entries. The limited gameplay and visual effects shown so far are nice, but ifNeed for Speed Unboundjust looks different but is otherwise identical toNFS Heat,that may not be enough.
While the racing genre of gaming will always be a staple, its long past its glory days.Need for Speed Unboundneeds to bring that back, as even the best racing games are not really talked about in the same circles as other major AAA games. Even sports games have managed a diehard base for years, butNeed for Speedhas seen fans zooming in and out.
It’s hard to innovate or otherwise change a gameplay formula that, no matter what, has to see a car start at A and end at B. Some games have doubled down on focusing on simulation elements, while others likeForza Horizonexpanded with a different style of open world (emphasis on the open), but street racing is a niche that needs to be filled. Need for Speed, either with Unbound or with future entries, needs to prove that street racing games are a niche worth keeping around every year. That’s another hard sell, but at least it does seem thatNeed for Speed Unboundis trying to stand out in the racing genre.
Need for Speed Unboundreleases December 2 for PC, PS5, and Xbox Series X.
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