To avoid the potential fallout for not bringing the visual settings and fidelity that PC gamers expect, developer Ghost Games has announced the delay of the Windows version of Need for Speed.
For Redditors, their wish for Need for Speed uncapped has been granted, but at what cost? The PC version of Need for Speed 2015 will release in the spring of 2016.
As hardware manufacturers are starting to produce and competitively price 1440p monitors with refresh rates of 144Hz, an unlocked frame rate has never been more important to PC gamers.
At 144Hz, monitors fed by cards powerful enough can crank out 144 images per second. The standard for consoles of the last generation was 30 frames per second.
Frame rate capping is crucial for racing games because execution of those tight turns can be thrown off by jittery, sudden fluctuations in the speeds at which the game delivers new images. Developers target a specific frame rate to smooth out peaks and valleys in frames per second, but the technique—unless it is optional—hurts PC gamers who have hot rod rigs in their living rooms and bedrooms.
Ghost Games has been collecting and reviewing feedback about Need for Speed, which is due for release on the Xbox One and PlayStation 4 on Nov. 3 in North America and Nov. 5 worldwide. While reviewing the feedback, the studio learned that a significant amount of PC gamers have been calling for uncapped frame rates.
"To deliver this, we've made the decision to move the PC release date to spring 2016," the studio announced in a blog post on Monday, Sept. 14, adding: "This decision on PC gives us the necessary development time to increase the visuals that we can deliver on PC."
Any content updates released on console between now and spring will be released on PC from day one, the studio stated. While paid DLC should surprise no one, Ghost Games also plans to regularly release free content for the game.
"Need for Speed is also committed to being a live service so we can deliver an ongoing experience that is constantly changing and evolving," said Ghost Games. "We will include free content updates and challenges as ever-present ways for you to earn rewards and continually explore the game."
PC players with a current-gen console can get an early taste of the game when the beta period arrives on PlayStation 4 and Xbox One in "the coming weeks."
