Summary
- Need for Speed Unbound will receive second-year support, with four volumes planned, starting in February and ending in December 2024.
- Year 2 will feature new game modes, cars, speed passes, and updates to progression, playlists, and challenges.
- Developer Criterion Games aims to keep dedicated players satisfied while potentially attracting new players through PlayStation Plus.
Need for Speed Unbound has revealed that it'll be receiving a second year of support, laying out its 2024 roadmap. The latest entry in EA's iconic arcade racing franchise, Need for Speed Unbound has just been added to February's PlayStation Plus Extra subscription alongside The Outer Worlds, Tales of Arise, Assassin's Creed Valhalla, and more.
Having launched late in 2022, Need for Speed Unbound received positive reviews and became one of the more popular of the recent Need for Speed titles. Its fun, anime-inspired art style and effects made it stand out among the crowd of AAA racing games. Though initially successful, Unbound never quite hit the heights of its prime open-world arcade racing competitor from the year prior, Forza Horizon 5. Nevertheless, developer Criterion Games has provided Unbound players with a solid amount of updates and additional content over the course of 2023.
Need For Speed Unbound: The 20 Best Cars For Drifting
The drift events in Need For Speed Unbound can be incredibly challenging, but players can improve their chances with one of these amazing drift cars.
Almost two months into 2024, which is Need for Speed's 30th anniversary, Criterion has announced a second year of live service support for Need for Speed Unbound. Complete with a Year 2 roadmap, Criterion revealed that a smaller team at the studio is handling Unbound's live service, testing the waters to see if long-term support for the game is viable. Year 2 will include four "volumes," or seasons, throughout 2024, including Audi Head to Head, Underground- inspired Drift and Drag, and a Cops vs Racers season inspired by the fan-favorite Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. A fourth mystery volume will round out the year starting in October; details of what that season may entail will surely be provided later in the year.
When Will Each New Volume Begin?
- Head to Head - February-April
- Drift and Drag - May-July
- Cops Vs Racers - August-October
- Fourth Mystery Volume - October-December
Each of these volumes will add at least one game mode, two new cars, and a new speed pass. Additionally, Criterion will be adding updates to Unbound's progression, fixing bugs, adding playlists and challenges, as well as making quality of life improvements throughout Year 2, acknowledging that it won't be able to get to everything players are asking for. It'll be interesting to see if Unbound's Year 2 will bring in more players, or if the extra year of support is simply aiming to keep the already dedicated playerbase satisfied. With Need for Speed Unbound being added to PlayStation Plus, it's sure to get a boost of new players who may choose to stick around through the rest of 2024 and beyond.
Need for Speed Unbound's first 2024 volume begins this month and will roll until April. Whether Need for Speed Unbound receives a third year of support will likely hinge on how well it does this year. The fact that it'll be supported through the end of 2024 all but confirms that a new Need for Speed game likely won't come out this year, though that's not to say Criterion isn't cooking up a new title coming later down the road.
Need for Speed Unbound
- Released
- December 2, 2022
WHERE TO PLAY
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.
Content updates to the game come in the form of Volumes - as the game builds towards becoming the Ultimate NFS Experience in one place for the first time.
- Developer(s)
- Criterion Games
- Publisher(s)
- Electronic Arts
- Franchise
- Need for Speed
- Platform(s)
- PC, PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X, Xbox Series S
- Genre(s)
- Racing, Open-World
