By Dayna McAlpine

Published: Tuesday, 11 October 2022 at 12:00 am

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After what has felt like a sizeable gap in the series, Electronic Arts and Criterion have announced a new release coming to the Need for Speed franchise.

Need for Speed Unbound will see gamers play as a racer trying to win street racing challenge The Grand. Fans of the series are also set to be treated to a brand new aesthetic of cel-shading and photo-realistic graphics (think hyper-realistic cars and anime characters) – a first for the franchise.

The trailer’s official description reads: “Race against time, outsmart the cops, and take on weekly qualifiers to reach The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge.

“Pack your garage with precision-tuned, custom rides and light up the streets with your style, exclusive fits, and a vibrant global soundtrack that bumps in every corner of the world.”

Read on as we run through everything we know about Need for Speed Unbound so far, starting with its much-anticipated release date. If you’re already desperate to get behind the wheel, fortunately you haven’t got long to wait before you can explore the fictional city of Lakeshore.

When is the Need for Speed Unbound release date?

The Need for Speed Unbound release date is 2nd December 2022. Pre-orders are open now at the likes of GAME.

For those who just can’t wait that long, EA Play members can also play Need for Speed Unbound early with a 10-hour trial starting 29th November.

December’s gaming releases in general look to finish off 2022 with a bang – with Marvel’s Midnight Suns, The Callisto Protocol and Hello Neighbour 2 set to hit our screens in the last month of the year.

Which consoles and platforms can play Need for Speed Unbound?

On December 2, Need for Speed Unbound will be available on PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X|S and PC – sorry Switch fans, and those of us still playing on PS4 or Xbox One.

On the PC side of things, in terms of launchers, NFS Unbound can be bought on Steam and Epic Games Store.

Can I pre-order Need for Speed Unbound?

Yes! If you pre-order Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition on PlayStation or Xbox, you can bag yourself a deluxe offering created in partnership with Palace Skateboards, including four custom cars, a clothing pack, driving effect, decals and licence plate, character pose and banner artwork for £79.99 – but if you’ve got an EA Play membership this is chopped down to £71.99.

The ‘base’ version of the game comes in at £59.99 on Epic Games Store and Steam – but Steam offers the Palace Edition at £69.99. You can also order any version you like from retailers such as GAME.

EA Play Pro members on PC will enjoy unlimited access to the Need for Speed Unbound Palace Edition starting November 29, three days before the game officially launches.

Need for Speed Unbound gameplay and story details

According to NFS Unbound’s official press release, gameplay follows the story of two friends ripped apart by a robbery at a family auto-shop. Your job is to rise from rookie to top racer to win the ultimate street race and reclaim the stolen car.

Players also have to take on none other than actor, fashion icon and rapper A$AP Rocky in a brand-new event where “you will have to prove your skills” against the star.

To become the best, Need for Speed Unbound players will need to pull huge drifts on the street and evade the cops – and racing can be taken to the next level with multiplayer options. Join underground meet-ups across Lakeshore with the online street racing community.

Is there a Need for Speed Unbound trailer?

Tune in below to check out the first full trailer for Need for Speed Unbound – featuring game play and its new aesthetic, cut scenes and a whole lot of A$AP Rocky. While you wait for the NFS Unbound release date on 2nd December, take a look here: