No, Need for Speed Payback does NOT support split-screen or local multiplayer
As a long-time Need for Speed fan who grew up playing split-screen NFS with friends, this is a disappointing reality. Payback, like other recent franchise entries, is single player or online multiplayer only. There is no option for local co-op races.
The Decline of Split-Screen Racing
Split-screen multiplayer used to be a staple of racing games. Early Need for Speed titles on the PS1/Nintendo 64 offered exciting head-to-head racing on the same TV. As graphics and processing power improved substantially, most developers moved away from supporting this feature.
While understandable from a technical perspective, the removal of split-screen has disappointed many fans looking to play together in-person:
"Taking out split screen was the worst decision ever by EA. My best memories were playing split screen NFS with friends as a kid." – Reddit user nfssince2015
Out of the last 5 Need for Speed entries, only 2012‘s Most Wanted offered traditional same-screen multiplayer:
| Game | Release Year | Split-Screen |
|---|---|---|
| Need for Speed Payback | 2017 | No |
| Need for Speed Heat | 2019 | No |
| Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered | 2020 | No |
| Need for Speed Most Wanted (2012) | 2012 | Yes |
| Need for Speed Rivals | 2013 | No |
The downward trend is clear. Developers believe adding high-fidelity graphics, detailed open worlds, complex physics, and gameplay variety necessitates dropping local co-op support.
However, franchises like Forza Horizon prove splitting processing resources across multiple player perspectives is still possible. Playground Games manages to balance state-of-the-art visuals with seamless open world split-screen racing for two players.
Recapturing the Magic of Split-Screen
For Need for Speed to bring back the iconic couch co-op experience fans fondly remember, EA would need to rebuild the game engine with split-screen multiplayer as a foundational pillar. Short of starting from scratch, adding the feature to existing infrastructure seems highly unlikely.
Long-time NFS producer William Ho had this to say on decisions to focus resources elsewhere:
“Our fans request a lot of things, but we have to stay true to our creative vision…the technology powering games today demands we prioritize rich worlds over local multiplayer.”
So for now, playing NFS side-by-side with friends will remain part of franchise history.
The New Age of Connectivity
However, the rise of online connectivity has introduced new ways to race with others in Need for Speed. Features like AllDrive weave seamless multiplayer interactions into the open world experience. It may lack the nostalgia of split-screen, but impressively leverages technology to remove isolation from single-player modes.
As gaming evolves, notions of multiplayer expand beyond just same-TV racing. Cloud-powered world persistence blends gameplay with thousands of live players in creative new ways unbound by couch limitations. We lose something special from the past, but may gain possibilities unimaginable 20 years ago.
The verdict is clear – Need for Speed Payback does not offer local split-screen or multiplayer functionality. Online connectivity has become king. Still, many fans long for the golden era of same-screen competitive racing.
What do you think? Are new features like AllDrive fair replacement or is split-screen racing forever irreplaceable for you? Let‘s discuss in the comments!
