Need for Speed Unbound Available for Xbox, PlayStation, and PC

Written by Brandon Hofer on December 05, 2022

News: A new Need for Speed title is now available and looks to take advantage of the current generation of hardware.

Need for Speed Unbound is available from Electronic Arts. This next generation in the Need for Speed franchise will put you in the driver's seat of your very own street racing fantasy as you try to outsmart the cops and prove you have what it takes to win The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge.

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 single-player campaign delivers thrills and consequences through a 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.”

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 includes the following:

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.

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$AP Rocky and his creative agency AWGE, who also functioned as the game’s creative collaborators. Featuring more than 70 songs from the world of hip-hop, Need for Speed Unbound’s soundtrack includes A$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 the discovery of new artists as players ride through the streets of Lakeshore. Players can also immerse themselves in the original score composed by Brodinski, the French electronic and hip-hop producer and founder of the French electro label Bromance Records.

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 celebrates 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 safe house.

EA has also revealed that 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 the launch will focus on expanding social play features, while future updates will bring new modes and features, cars, customization content, and more.

Need for Speed Unbound is available in retail and digital storefronts 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.

Check out the video and tell us what you think. Will you be picking up Need for Speed Unbound?