The EA Sports label isn’t the only part of Electronic Arts that’s making moves on-line. In fact, a shift to the Internet is taking place company-wide.

The Need for Speed racing-game franchise is headquartered at EA Black Box in Burnaby and falls under the EA Games label. This summer, Need for Speed World, a massively multiplayer on-line game currently in beta testing, will be released for Windows PC.

Last October, the Straight spoke with Need for Speed producer Jesse Abney at a PlayStation Canada media event in Toronto. He explained that the plan for the franchise was to develop products for three types of racing gamers: authentic, arcade, and action. Last fall’s Shift and Nitro covered the authentic and arcade genres, respectively; World is an action title.

In the on-line game, players can drive around an open world and engage in races—or be pursued by law enforcement. You progress in your virtual career in role-playing-game fashion, by allocating points to improve skills, and you can specialize in one of three driving styles: race, pursuit, or explore.

Need for Speed World is the first major massively multiplayer on-line game for the racing genre. By providing opportunities for speed junkies to purchase virtual cars, upgrades for those machines, and access to exclusive racing tracks, it’s yet another revenue stream for Electronic Arts to tap into.