It’s been years since we’ve had a properly good Need for Speed, but come this December, EA and Criterion Games will be delivering Need for Speed Unbound to the world.
The next-generation of street racing, Need for Speed Unbound will see you racing to the top as you dial up the risk of the racing, look to outsmart the cops and showcase your own unique style to the full world, working through both single player and multiplayer racing experiences.
Fully unveiled via a reveal trailer which goes about premiering music from A$AP Rocky, the chase will be back when Need for Speed Unbound puts players worldwide in the driver seat of their own street racing fantasy as they outsmart cops and prove they have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge.
Coming to Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC, Need for Speed Unbound features an all-new and very unique visual style, one that happens to go blending elements of street art with the most realistic looking cars in the franchise’s history.
There will be an innovative single player campaign which is capable of delivering the thrills and consequences through an immersive narrative that engages players in the city of Lakeshore as they race, collect, upgrade, and customize the world’s hottest performance cars on their way to the top of the scene.
Need for Speed Unbound is built for the new generation of technology too, and as you’d expect will feature 4K resolution at 60 FPS for the first time in the series when it launches on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 2nd 2022.
“Need for Speed Unbound is all about self-expression, taking risks and disrupting the status quo by just being you – through your racing style, unique car builds, fashion, music and much more,” said Kieran Crimmins, Creative Director at Criterion Games. “We are inspired to create a truly authentic universe where players see themselves represented in the game. The visual experience of Unbound redefines expectation, with a new signature art-style that brings graffiti to life, intensifies the competition, and creates adrenaline-inducing, high-speed action.”
Tasking you with starting at the bottom and racing to the top, Need for Speed Unbound challenges the conventions of the racing genre and ups the ante by introducing true consequence with impactful risk and reward for every race, decision and side bet made. Players will uncover the world of Lakeshore when a robbery at a family auto-shop tears two friends apart and sets a rookie racer on a journey to win the ultimate street race and reclaim the priceless car that was stolen from them. Need for Speed Unbound features:
Key features include:
- The World is Each Player’s Canvas: Graffiti comes to life in a new art style as players ride through the city equipped with a brand-new toolkit of high-energy visual and sound effects, like Burst Nitrous, which rewards players with style-based boost, reflecting how they drive.
- Run the Streets: The more players race, the more heat they build up. Choose to outdrive or outsmart cops using new escape mechanics to take control of the chase to earn big rewards or even bigger consequences for getting busted.
- Self-Expression and Style: Hundreds of cosmetic items including exclusive licensed gear from some of the world’s pioneering fashion innovators and custom automotive gear companies give players endless options to not only kit out their car but show off their personal style in game.
- Find Freedom in the Flow: Ride to a genre-defying soundtrack of trailblazing artists from the world of hip-hop led by multi-hyphenated artist, entrepreneur, actor and fashion icon A$AP Rocky and his creative agency AWGE, including the world premiere of A$AP Rocky’s brand new track “Sh*ttin’ Me,” also featured in the reveal trailer.
- Takeover Scene featuring A$AP Rocky: A$AP Rocky will appear in-game as the leader of the Takeover Scene, a new replayable precision driving mode that brings together the community to take over parts of the city and celebrate driving with style over pure speed. AWGE also functioned as creative consultants on the game.
You can go about pre-ordering Need for Speed Unbound, and doing so will see you gaining access to an exclusive pack of Unbound content, including a driving effects pack, decals, license plate, banner artwork, stickers and $150,000 Bank in their wallet when you first join multiplayer and more.
It’ll release on December 2nd 2022 on Xbox Series X|S, PS5 and PC in two flavours too, the standard edition and the Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition, a deluxe offering created in partnership with Palace Skateboards, will offer players exclusive content, including four stunning custom cars, a clothing pack, driving effect, decals and license plate, character pose and banner artwork for $79.99/£79.99.
And further, EA Play members can also play Need for Speed Unbound early with a 10-hour trial starting November 29th whilst EA Play Pro members on PC will enjoy unlimited access to the Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition on the same day.
Will you be hopping behind the wheel of the most exciting street racer to release in recent years? Need for Speed is back and this time it is Unbound.
