Here's How Need For Speed Payback Is Like A Full-Blown Action Movie
Need For Speed: Payback, looks just as much like a Hollywood action movie as it does a video game – check out the amazing scenes in the first gameplay trailer for it, which was released at the annual EA Play event this year.
Can you believe this is the TWENTY THIRD Need For Speed game? We feel old now. So how are the racing whizzes behind the franchise freshening it up for another lap? This edition, EA have revealed, will be action movie-influenced, focusing on ‘action driving’ and will offer you three playable characters, each with a different skillset.
We chatted to Marcus Nilsson, the executive producer of the Need For Speed games, to get his insider secrets on making the iconic racing title…
'Need for Speed: Payback launches on 10 November 2017 for PS4, Xbox One and PC.'
Hi Marcus! How would you sum up Need For Speed: Payback in 3 words?
NFS through the Hollywood lens (I know, more than three…)
How does it differ to what we’ve seen in past Need for Speed games?
You’ll see action driving that you’ve grown to like throughblockbuster action movies. In the story part of the game, you will meet a selection of newcharacters that you play or engage with and there is something bigger going on than what you first think…
Do you have a favenew feature in this one and can you tell us a bit more about it?
I really like that we have taken customisation of cars to a new level with something we call Derelicts. You can find old car parts in the world, starting with the chassis, and then create the car of your dreams. So, you take a car from scrap to stock to a super car of your choice.
The new gameplay trailer takes to the desert among other environments. What is it about the desert that makes for a great game environment?
Well, desert is kinda mystic isn’t it? In the desert, things can go missing and then can be found, like some of the scrap parts I was referring to earlier. The desert also delivers good driving conditions.
We’re getting Fast & Furious vibes! Are you a fan of those movies too, was the game inspired at all by them?
I have beenwatching action moviesfor aslong as I can remember and one thing with many of them is the inclusion of awesomedriving and stunts with cars. I amdefinitely afanof the Fast & Furious movies but the creative of Need For Speed: Payback is the results ofmerging together a lifetime of actionconsumption.
Making video games is a dream job for so many young people. How did you get into the industry and what’s your number one tip for anyonewho wants to do the same?
I got into the industry some 15 years ago. I started working at DICE, the creators of Battlefield amongst other things, and I also produced several games in that series. But when I got the chance to start making Need For Speed, the choice was easy. This is now my fourth NFS game and based upon where we are in development, it is already likely the one I will be most proud of.
My number one advice to get ready for the industry regardless of skillset is to play A LOT of games. And not only play them but also to understand what makes them good or bad. Try to discuss games with a friend and try to think about what would actually make sense to change to get the game you’re currently playing to a better place.
If you could implement something from a game IRL, what would it be and why?
Potentially the skill to fast travel as a lack of time is my biggest problem at the moment. But, jokes aside, lots of gamification is already happening. I am competing each day with my wife in walking distance, I earn points by air travel and I can see the consumption of electric in my plug-in Volvo V60 hybrid.Theworld is being brought together and it will only go faster and faster from thispoint on.
