The Need for Speed franchise is one of the most famous and beloved in the world of racing games, but it’s fallen from grace a little in recent years after some slightly forgettable outings.
EA is hoping that will change with Need for Speed Unbound, which is out now and looks to return the series to its street racing roots. Here are all the key details you need to know.
For more details on upcoming games, check out our lists ofanticipated titles for PS5orXbox Series X/S.
Need for Speed Unbound release date
Need for Speed Unbound released on2 December 2022, so you can hop on now and get behind the wheel.
However, EA Play members can also jump into a free 10-hour trial of the game to try before they buy.
It was a short turnaround, too - the game was only unveiled at the start of October 2022, so EA must have had it under wraps for a while.
Need for Speed Unbound
Need for Speed Unbound is a street racing video game that challenges players to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge. The game features an all-new visual style that blends elements of street art with realistic-looking cars. Players can customize their garages with precision-tuned, custom rides to showcase their unique style on the streets.The game includes separate single-player and multiplayer campaigns, offering hours of adrenaline-pumping action.
Need for Speed Unbound platforms
Surprisingly for such a big franchise, EA and developer Criterion have limited where you can pick up Need for Speed Unbound - it’s only out on newer platforms.
You can play it on PS5, Xbox Series X/S and PC (through a few different storefronts). That means there’s no joy for PS4 or Xbox One owners.
Need for Speed Unbound trailers
There have been a few trailers for Unbound, which you can check out below. First up is the reveal trailer.
It features glimpses of a fair few cars and characters, including real-world rapper A$AP Rocky, who’s seemingly in the game (although we don’t know how big his part is).
Later in October, we got a look at how you’ll interact with police chases while you race.
This trailer also gives us some clearer moments of gameplay along with a good look at how your custom effects will look around your car. Next came another short gameplay showcase featuring combos, below.
Need for Speed Unbound gameplay
EA is leaning in on car customisation for Unbound, but also introducing a whole new style and look, taking inspiration from street art and graffiti.
You can customise not just your car’s bodywork and tuning, using underlighting and body kits, but also the cartoony effects that surround it at key moments. The Instagram post below showcases some of these custom options, including the long-awaited addition of full cutaway options for your car’s body.
While you can turn those cartoony effects off if you want a purer racing look, these larger-than-life effects can be another layer of personalisation to make you stand out when you race online.
Like Need for Speeds of old, there will still be cop chases to manoeuvre through, and you can bet before races if you want to take home some extra pay, and it’s all about working your way up the street racing ranks.
You cancheck out the game’s full map on the official site here, to get a look at where you’ll be racing. It’s a big open world from the looks of things, with a nice balance between tight city streets and more open, sweeping mountain roads. In fact, it’s a pretty clear throwback to the halcyon days of Need for Speed Underground 2 or Most Wanted, in our books.
Need for Speed Unbound car list
The official website for the game has a welcome car list to browse, and we’ve replicated it here for you.
These are all the cars you’ll be able to drive in Need for Speed Unbound at launch:
