Step Into the World of Lakeshore City Where Graffiti Comes to Life in a Racing Experience that Defies Convention; Available Now on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC
REDWOOD CITY, Calif. — (BUSINESS WIRE) — December 2, 2022 — The time is now to race to the top! Experience adrenaline-pumping moments as you speed through Lakeshore in Need for Speed™ Unbound from Electronic Arts Inc. (NASDAQ: EA) and Criterion Games, now available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC. The next generation of the iconic Need for Speed franchise puts players 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.
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The next generation street racing fantasy starts today, December 2, 2022 in Need For Speed™ Unbound
With an all-new, unique visual style, Need for Speed Unbound blends elements of street art with the most realistic looking cars in the franchise’s history in smooth 4K resolution at 60 FPS for the first time in the series. The innovative single player campaign delivers 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.
"With self-expression at the heart of Need for Speed Unbound, we're pulling out all of the stops,” said Kieran Crimmins, Creative Director at Criterion Games. “From unique car builds and customization options, to high-end fashion collaborations, to a soundtrack packed with global artists - we’re giving our racers a chance to see themselves represented on the streets of Lakeshore as they race against others in this new visually-enhanced and stylistic universe.”
START AT THE BOTTOM, RACE TO THE TOP
Players will uncover the world of Lakeshore City after 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 disrupts the racing genre and ups the ante with:
- The World is Each Player's Canvas: Like street artists who creatively subvert the cityscapes around them, players can bring graffiti to life in a new art style as they ride through the city equipped with a brand-new toolkit of high-energy visual and sound effects - like Tags and Burst Nitrous, which reward players with style-based boost, reflecting how they drive.
- Run the Streets: In Need for Speed Unbound, players have to take risks to get to the top. The more players race, the more heat they build. Players will have to choose how and when to put it all on the line, pulling huge drifts on the street, outdriving the cops, or placing side bets with their own earnings against rival racers. Time is money, so players must find the fastest way to earn enough cash to enter the weekly qualifiers and make it to Lakeshore’s ultimate race, The Grand.
- Express Yourself: Pioneering brands like Palace Skateboards, AWGE, Versace, Namilia, PUMA, Balmain, Danielle Guizio, ALPHA Industries, Born x Raised, Brain Dead, Champion, EDWIN, FILA, GCDS, KHRISJOY, MKI MIYUKI ZOKU, NAPAPIJRI, Vans and many more bring their stylistic vision to life for fans to discover through an assortment of cosmetic items, including exclusive licensed gear to not only kit out their car, but to also show off their personal style in game. Players can expand their fashion beyond the garage, and into their real-world closet, with the special Need for Speed Unbound capsule collection, featuring real-world footwear and apparel from Balmain and PUMA. Additional information on the collaborations can be found via the Need for Speed Unbound newsroom here.
- Find Freedom in the Flow: Bump the music loud at any street race with a one-of-a-kind soundtrack led by multi-hyphenated artist, actor and fashion icon A$AP Rocky and his creative agency AWGE, who also functioned as the game’s creative collaborators. Featuring more than 70 songs from genre-defying, trailblazing global artists from the world of hip-hop, Need for Speed Unbound’s soundtrack includes A$AP Rocky’s new track “Sh*ttin’ Me,” as well as global talents like Brodinski, Lous and the Yakuza, SCH, Alina Pash, Slikback, Villano Antillano, COUCOU CHLOE, Balming Tiger, Shirin David and many more. The extensive track list offers discovery of new artists as players ride through the streets of Lakeshore. Players can also immerse themselves in the original genre-blending score composed by Brodinski, the French electronic and hip-hop producer and founder of the French electro label Bromance Records. Listen to the original score on Spotify and stream the soundtrack on Spotify and Apple Music.
- Takeover Scene featuring A$AP Rocky: A$AP Rocky appears 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. Upon encountering A$AP Rocky at the event, players must beat him at his own game to win his custom-designed Mercedes 190 E and drive it back to their own safehouse.
The race isn’t over at launch! Need for Speed Unbound players can look forward to a series of post-launch content updates and experience packs, as well as free access to new modes, social features and progression for Lakeshore Online. The first update following launch will focus on expanding social play features, while future updates will bring new modes and features, cars, customization content and more. Stay tuned for more details on future Need for Speed Unbound content.
Need for Speed Unbound is available in retail and digital storefronts December 2 on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC via the EA app, Origin, Steam and Epic Game Store for $69.99. Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition, a deluxe offering created in partnership with Palace Skateboards, offers players exclusive content, including cars pulled straight from their own Palace campaigns, Driving Effects, a clothing pack with 20 items, decals and license plate, character pose and banner artwork for $79.99.
For more details on Need for Speed Unbound, visit: https://www.ea.com/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound
Follow @NeedforSpeed on Twitter, Facebook, Instagram and TikTok stay tuned to the newsroom for the latest updates.
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About Electronic Arts
Electronic Arts (NASDAQ: EA) is a global leader in digital interactive entertainment. The Company develops and delivers games, content and online services for Internet-connected consoles, mobile devices and personal computers.
In fiscal year 2022, EA posted GAAP net revenue of approximately $7 billion. Headquartered in Redwood City, California, EA is recognized for a portfolio of critically acclaimed, high-quality brands such as EA SPORTS™ FIFA, Battlefield™, Apex Legends™, The Sims™, Madden NFL, Need for Speed™, Titanfall™, Plants vs. Zombies™ and F1®. More information about EA is available at www.ea.com/news.
EA SPORTS, Battlefield, Need for Speed, Apex Legends, The Sims, Titanfall and Plants vs. Zombies are trademarks of Electronic Arts Inc. STAR WARS © & ™ 2015 Lucasfilm Ltd. All rights reserved. John Madden, NFL, FIFA and F1 are the property of their respective owners and used with permission.
About Criterion Games
Criterion Games is an award-winning game development studio with a legacy of creating industry-leading, visceral racing experiences. Based in Guildford, UK, and now Runcorn, the development teams at both locations of Criterion Games are working together on the future of the Need for Speed franchise.
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