Need for Speed: World

{{short description|2010 massively multiplayer online racing video game}}

{{Infobox video game

| title = Need for Speed: World

| image = Need-for-Speed-World.jpg

| caption = Cover art featuring a Lamborghini Gallardo and a Nissan 370Z being chased by police

| developer = {{unbulleted list|EA Black Box / Quicklime Games (2010–2013)|EA Singapore|Easy Studios (2013–2015)}}

| publisher = Electronic Arts

| composer = Mick Gordon

| series = Need for Speed

| engine =

| platforms = Microsoft Windows

| released = {{Video game release|WW|July 27, 2010}}{{efn|Users who pre-ordered a Starter Pack received early access on July 20, 2010.{{cite web |date=July 9, 2010 |url=http://www.needforspeed.com/post/need-speed-world-launches-july-27 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100713111403/http://www.needforspeed.com/post/need-speed-world-launches-july-27 |url-status=dead |archive-date=July 13, 2010 |title=Need for Speed World Launches July 27 |publisher=Electronic Arts |access-date=November 20, 2010}}}}

| genre = Massively multiplayer online racing game

| modes = Multiplayer

}}

Need for Speed: World (previously known as Need for Speed: World Online) is a massively multiplayer online racing game published by Electronic Arts, and the fifteenth installment of the publisher's Need for Speed franchise. It was co-developed by EA Black Box (rebranded as Quicklime Games during the game's operation) and EA Singapore, with Easy Studios and EA Vancouver later taking over operations during its run. It was the first freemium game in the Need for Speed series and was available on Microsoft Windows. World was released worldwide on July 27, 2010. However, people who ordered a "Starter Pack" had an early "head-start" in the game, which started on July 20, 2010.{{cite web |url=http://www.impulsedriven.com/nfsworld |title=Impulse Driven: Need for Speed World |publisher=Stardock Corporation |date=February 8, 2010 |access-date=February 10, 2010 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100529160349/http://www.impulsedriven.com/nfsworld |archive-date=May 29, 2010 }}

Need for Speed: World, along with other EA free-to-play titles Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield Play4Free, and FIFA World, went offline on July 14, 2015. However, fan preservation efforts resurrected the game as an unofficial freeware title; the first known fan-run servers went online in 2017.

Gameplay

File:NFSWO Screenshot.jpg

World has a similar gameplay style to 2005's Most Wanted and 2006's Carbon, focusing on illegal street racing, tuning, and police chases, and added some elements to the game such as "power-ups" (somewhat similar to Mario Kart). World was set in a fictional city which combined the cities of Rockport from Most Wanted and Palmont from Carbon into its map design, with redesigned graphics and new locations added to the map to connect the two cities. The game featured over 100 licensed cars consisting of multiple different variations of some. Manufactures ranged from Alfa Romeo to Volkswagen and there were over thirty manufacturers in the game.

Initially, after reaching a certain level, the player would not be able to progress further in the game and would cease to earn any more experience points or cash. To continue the game, the player had to purchase a "Starter Pack". Without it, the player was allowed to continue playing the game but would cease to earn experience and cash.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=w3-FBZu1pJk |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/w3-FBZu1pJk |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Need For Speed World review |last=GameTrailers |website=YouTube |date=June 2, 2016 }}{{cbignore}}{{cite web |url=http://www.needforspeed.com/web/nfs-na/blogs/need-for-speed-news/-/nfsblogs/2426314?authorId=21501 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100520194836/http://www.needforspeed.com/web/nfs-na/blogs/need-for-speed-news/-/nfsblogs/2426314?authorId=21501 |url-status=dead |archive-date=May 20, 2010 |title=What is the Need For Speed Starter Pack? |first=Drew |last=Hahn |date=May 18, 2010 |access-date=November 20, 2010}} On September 8, 2010, in celebration of the game reaching 1,000,000 registrations, the game was made completely free-to-play and the level cap was removed.{{cite web |url=http://world.needforspeed.com/news#9298 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100908032346/http://world.needforspeed.com/news#9298 |url-status=dead |archive-date=September 8, 2010 |title=Need for Speed World Goes Free to Play |first=Drew |last=Hahn |date=September 9, 2010 |access-date=November 20, 2010}}

In the initial release of version 4 (July 20, 2010), car performance could be improved via street or pro upgrade kits (purchased with in-game cash), depending on the car. The game also had "driver skills", three of which directly improved performance (acceleration, handling, top speed) and applied to any car that a player was driving. The skills unlocked as a player leveled up and a player could select up to 49 of 81 possible skills. Once a skill was chosen, it couldn't be undone, and players would have to start with a new profile or account and level up again in order to choose a different set of skills. In a later update, the upgrade kits were removed and replaced by performance parts, each car having its own set of performance parts.{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=G6Kq_SfOpGs |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/G6Kq_SfOpGs |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Ask Marc (performance parts) |first=NeedForSpeed |last=EA|website=YouTube |date=October 21, 2010 }}{{cbignore}} Later, "driver skills" were removed from the game and replaced with skill mods, each car having its own set of skill mods, which consisted of things such as increasing the car's impact force or earning more money from a race. The lowest rated parts and skill mods could be directly purchased for free using in-game "cash", but higher rated parts and skill mods could only be won by chance from card packs, either free "lucky draw" card packs rewarded at the end of any event, or card packs purchased with real money converted into the games microtransaction currency called "speed boost".{{cite web |url=https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=cbUDPB27I-8 |archive-url=https://ghostarchive.org/varchive/youtube/20211215/cbUDPB27I-8 |archive-date=2021-12-15 |url-status=live|title=Ask Marc (skill mods) |first=NeedForSpeed |last=EA|website=YouTube |date=June 2012 }}{{cbignore}}{{Cite web|url=https://www.nfsplanet.com/en/news/6551|title=NFS World: Skill Mods announced|access-date=February 18, 2020|archive-date=February 18, 2020|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200218174311/https://www.nfsplanet.com/en/news/6551|url-status=live}}

Visual aftermarket parts were made available in an update released on March 16, 2011, and later added to lucky draw in another update in December 2011. All the in-game cash bodykits from previous versions were removed, however, most body kits required SpeedBoost to purchase. There were several choices of customization, some which were exclusive to specific cars. Along with body kits there were spoilers, wheels, neons, hoods, window tint and license plates. Most of these parts, like bodykits, had to be paid with by SpeedBoost. Players could also redeem gifts that they could equip to their cars.

Development

The game was first announced to be free-to-play. In October 2009, World was opened to public beta-testing limited to residents of Taiwan. There have been seven closed beta sessions in total. Except the first one, all were available worldwide to residents who sign up, meet admission criteria, and get accepted.

The main part of the game's map was completed on October 26, 2010, when the final three areas (Downtown Rockport, Kempton, Fortuna) and the Turnpike bridge were added to the map.

Over time, the priority on game development transitioned into focusing on increasing revenue, so plans such as adding Carbon{{'s}} canyons to the map, completion of the final link area, and addition of Need for Speed: Undercover{{'s}} map to the game were dropped. Eventually, most of the development focused on adding more cars to the game since the cars helped increase revenue, and the game evolved into a "pay to win" game as the best cars could only be purchased with real money.{{Cite web|url=https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/04/3-ways-mobile-games-are-destroying-the-video-game.aspx|website=The Motley Fool|first=Leo|last=Sun|title=3 Ways Mobile Games Are Destroying the Video Game Industry|date=March 4, 2014|access-date=May 4, 2018|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411064801/https://www.fool.com/investing/general/2014/03/04/3-ways-mobile-games-are-destroying-the-video-game.aspx|url-status=live}}

The EA Canada World team, later named Quicklime Games, which was in charge of game development, maintenance, and updates, was shut down on April 25, 2013.{{cite web|url=http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/25/4266122/ea-layoffs-popcap-vancouver-quicklime|title=EA restructure results in hundreds of layoffs, two studios closed|first=Tracey|last=Lien|website=Polygon|date=April 25, 2013|access-date=May 11, 2013|archive-date=May 11, 2013|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130511161548/http://www.polygon.com/2013/4/25/4266122/ea-layoffs-popcap-vancouver-quicklime|url-status=live}}

On September 10, 2013, a Community Manager announced that Easy Studios (developers for Battlefield Play4Free) took over from what was left of the Quicklime Game team.{{cite web|url=http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/105/9690149.page|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20160126223605/http://forum.ea.com/eaforum/posts/list/105/9690149.page|url-status=dead|archive-date=January 26, 2016|title=EA Forums|work=ea.com}}

Reception

{{Video game reviews

| MC = 62/100[https://www.metacritic.com/game/need-for-speed-world/critic-reviews/?platform=pc Need for Speed World Critic Reviews for PC] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603014453/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/need-for-speed-world/critic-reviews |date=June 3, 2015 }}. Metacritic. Retrieved December 2, 2010.

| 1UP = C[https://archive.today/20120630125225/http://www.1up.com/do/reviewPage?cId=3180659&p=1 NFS World Online Reviews]. 1UP. Retrieved November 20, 2010.

| EuroG = 6/10[http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/need-for-speed-world-review Need for Speed World MMO Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100805130537/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/need-for-speed-world-review |date=August 5, 2010 }}. Eurogamer.net. Retrieved November 20, 2010.

| GRadar = 6/10[http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/need-for-speed-world/review/need-for-speed-world-review/a-20100803153848319078/g-20090130173154477006 Need for Speed World Review, PC Reviews] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110615235305/http://www.gamesradar.com/pc/need-for-speed-world/review/need-for-speed-world-review/a-20100803153848319078/g-20090130173154477006 |date=June 15, 2011 }}. GamesRadar. Retrieved November 20, 2010.

| GT = 5.6/10[http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-need-for/702853 Need for Speed World Video Game, Review] {{Webarchive|url=https://web.archive.org/web/20100816092108/http://www.gametrailers.com/video/review-need-for/702853 |date=August 16, 2010 }}. GameTrailers.com. Retrieved November 20, 2010.

| IGN = 6/10(2010-08-06). [https://web.archive.org/web/20100815223233/http://pc.ign.com/articles/111/1110785p1.html Need for Speed World Review]. IGN. Retrieved November 20, 2010.

}}

Need for Speed: World received mixed reviews from critics.

The highest praise of the game came from GamingXP, which commented that "The game feels like a combination of previous Need for Speed games except the single player has been cut off. Add some role-play elements and you have a racing MMO."{{cite web |url=http://www.gamingxp.com/bericht-3899-electronic_arts-electronic_arts-pc-need_for_speed_world.htm |title=NFS World Review |publisher=GamingXP |date=July 27, 2010 |access-date=August 26, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20111007142132/http://www.gamingxp.com/bericht-3899-electronic_arts-electronic_arts-pc-need_for_speed_world.htm |archive-date=October 7, 2011 |url-status=dead }} PC Format gave a somewhat mediocre review in their October 2010 issue, concluding that the game "feels like a missed opportunity."{{cite web |url=https://www.metacritic.com/game/need-for-speed-world/critic-reviews/?platform=pc |title=Need for Speed: World – Critic Reviews |website=Metacritic |date=December 24, 2010 |access-date=August 26, 2011 |archive-date=June 3, 2015 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150603014453/http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/need-for-speed-world/critic-reviews |url-status=live }} Eurogamer commented that "It's a real shame that the MMO aspect of World is effectively a needlessly elaborate lobby."{{cite web |author=Jon Blyth |url=http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/need-for-speed-world-review |title=Need for Speed: World review |website=Eurogamer |date=August 2, 2010 |access-date=August 26, 2011 |archive-date=September 9, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20110909031855/http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/need-for-speed-world-review |url-status=live }} In November 2012, World surpassed twenty million registered users.{{cite web |author=Kyle Hayth |url=http://need-for-speed-world.browsergamez.com/news/1720/1/need-for-speed-world-20-million-registered-users-racing-down-the-lanes.html |title=Need for Speed World: 20 Million Registered Users Racing Down the Lanes |publisher=browsergamez.com |access-date=November 7, 2011 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130126163340/http://need-for-speed-world.browsergamez.com/news/1720/1/need-for-speed-world-20-million-registered-users-racing-down-the-lanes.html |archive-date=January 26, 2013 |url-status=dead }}

Closure

On April 15, 2015, EA announced that on July 14, 2015, they would be closing Need for Speed: World and turning off services for the game, as the publisher felt "that the game no longer lives up to the high standard set by the Need for Speed franchise." The ability to purchase SpeedBoost and create new accounts were disabled since the announcement.{{cite web|url=http://world.needforspeed.com/news/article/52361|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150417200106/http://world.needforspeed.com/news/article/52361|url-status=dead|archive-date=April 17, 2015|title=The Race is Coming to an End|website=NeedForSpeed.com|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=April 15, 2015}}{{cite web|url=http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-closing-battlefield-heroes-need-for-speed-world/1100-6426649/|title=EA Closing Battlefield Heroes, Need for Speed World, FIFA World, and More|website=GameSpot|last=Makuch|first=Eddie|date=April 15, 2015|access-date=April 15, 2015|archive-date=April 18, 2015|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150418011736/http://www.gamespot.com/articles/ea-closing-battlefield-heroes-need-for-speed-world/1100-6426649/|url-status=live}}

Preservation project

Preservation efforts by fans to reverse engineer and make a playable version of the game led to a network of private servers under the title "Soapbox Race World" in 2017.{{Cite web|last=Arguello|first=Diego|date=June 11, 2020|title=How players resurrected the Need for Speed MMO you didn't even know existed|url=https://www.pcgamer.com/how-players-resurrected-the-need-for-speed-mmo-you-didnt-even-know-existed/|access-date=February 15, 2021|journal=PC Gamer|language=en-US|archive-date=April 11, 2023|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20230411064801/https://www.pcgamer.com/how-players-resurrected-the-need-for-speed-mmo-you-didnt-even-know-existed/|url-status=live}}{{Cite web|title=Soapbox Race World|url=https://soapboxrace.world/|access-date=February 15, 2021|website=soapboxrace.world|archive-date=April 5, 2019|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190405163834/https://soapboxrace.world/|url-status=live}}