During this year’s digital EA Play event, the publisher announced its plans to bring seven new games to the Nintendo Switch over the next 12 months, starting with the recent release ofBurnout Paradise Remasteredon the platform earlier this year. Now, it appears that EA is preparing to revive another of Criterion Games' titles for the platform, as over the past few monthsNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredhas leaked a number of times.Once again, the title has leakeddue to the Korean Games Rating and Administration Committee.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredwas first leaked by VentureBeat reporter Jeff Grubb, who claimed that the game was among several other titles that EA is planning to bring to the Nintendo Switch includingApex Legends,Lost in Random, and an unannounced game from Velan Studios, the team behind the upcomingMario Kart Live: Home CircuitAR game. Since then,Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredhas appeared on a number of online retailers, including Amazon UK,which listed the game for release on November 13th, 2020. This would put it in line with the 10th anniversary of the release of the original game, which launched on Nintendo Wii, PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360 on November 16th, 2010.
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The remaster is said to be based onthe 2010 reboot from Criterion Games, not 1998’sNeed for Speed 3: Hot Pursuit. The 2010 title was set in the fictional country of Seacrest, which the team based on the American states of Washington, Oregon, and California. The game also won a BAFTA award after its release for its innovative “Autolog” multiplayer component, which allowed players to race one-on-one and compare each other’s stats.
Recent ratings board listings such as this have resulted in very substantial leaks. Over the past few months, titles such asCrash Bandicoot 4: It’s About Timeand a possibleNo More HeroesNintendo Switch port have leaked outright thanks to the likes of the Taiwan games ratings boards. In addition,games such asDemon’s Souls,Nier Replicant, andBravely Default 2have all had their release windows narrowed down due to leaked ratings boards listings as well. This is because games are usually rated by international ratings boards near the end of their development, implying that the November 13th release date forNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredcould be very accurate, with EA likely to reveal it very soon.
Interestingly, this release dateputsNeed for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remasteredright after the release datesof the two upcoming next generation consoles, the Xbox Series X and the PlayStation 5, which launch on November 10th and 12th, respectively. Knowing this, EA could release the title with some next generation exclusive features, such as faster loading and ray tracing. Alternatively, it’s also possible that this release date is no longer accurate, as EA had reportedly planned to release aMass Effecttrilogy remaster dubbedMass Effect: Legendary Editionas early as next month, but hasseemingly internally delayed it to work on modernizingMass Effect 1.
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuitis currently available on Android, iOS, Nintendo Wii, PC, PlayStation 3, and Xbox 360.
