Need for Speed Payback will release this November

Following a tease yesterday, EA and Ghost Games has lifted the veil on its forthcoming Need for Speed game. As it turns out, Need for Speed Payback will release on November 10 and will feature, according to EA, "blockbuster gameplay never before seen from the series". 

As is increasingly the case with Need For Speed games, there will be a narrative involved, which promises to be "gripping" and full of betrayal and revenge. The focus has moved somewhat away from winning races and more towards fulfilling the person-with-an-expensive-hotted-up-car fantasy, via customization both cosmetic and mechanical. Of course, you'll be able to win races too. It just won't hurt when you don't.

Payback is set in Fortune Valley, which seems to be some game-y approximation of Las Vegas. Interestingly, you won't play as one character but instead three, with each waging their own campaign of revenge against a cartel called The House. "They will take on a variety of challenges and events as Tyler, the Racer; Mac, the Showman; and Jess, the Wheelman to earn the respect of the underground," the announcement elaborates.

It goes on: "Featuring the deepest customization from the series, players can truly craft a personalized and unique ride, or spend hours finding and tuning an abandoned derelict into a supercar. They can then push their cars to the limit and raise the stakes by betting on their own performance, where they can either multiply their winnings or risk losing it all."

Of course, we haven't played the game yet, though there's a trailer below designed to announce Payback's existence and get you in the mood. There will be pre-order bonuses of course, in the form of five extra cars, as well as a Deluxe Edition offering a bunch of deluxe stuff. Check out the trailer:

Shaun Prescott

Shaun Prescott is the Australian editor of PC Gamer. With over ten years experience covering the games industry, his work has appeared on GamesRadar+, TechRadar, The Guardian, PLAY Magazine, the Sydney Morning Herald, and more. Specific interests include indie games, obscure Metroidvanias, speedrunning, experimental games and FPSs. He thinks Lulu by Metallica and Lou Reed is an all-time classic that will receive its due critical reappraisal one day.