The Need for Speed video game series is currently published by Electronic Arts. Games in the series were primarily developed by the Canadian based company Distinctive Software, which became known as EA Canada from 1992–2001.[1] Currently, they are primarily developed by the Canadian based company, EA Black Box except for the Nintendo DS ports of Carbon and ProStreet which were developed by Exient Entertainment which also is produces the Wii port of Hot Pursuit (2010), while the DS ports Undercover and Nitro which were developed by Firebrand Games, while Shift was co-developed by EA Black Box and Exient Entertainment, the Wii version of Nitro was developed by EA Montreal, World was co-developed by EA Black Box and EA Singapore, while the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360 and PC ports of Hot Pursuit are developed by Criterion Games, while Nitro-X for the DS like the DS port of the first Nitro is developed by Firebrand Games, and Shift 2 is being developed by Exient Entertainment .[2] The series debuted with The Need for Speed in North America, Japan (under the Over Drivin' title through High Stakes), and Europe in 1997. Need for Speed is a series of racing video games where the main objective is to win races in a variety of game modes, in the process eluding traffic, pedestrians, and police. Customization of video game vehicles was an aspect first introduced by the Need for Speed series after the release of the film, The Fast and The Furious; it is a feature included in every Need for Speed title from the release of Need for Speed: Underground through the untitled 2011 title.[3] Initially, the series was exclusive to the fifth generation consoles and was featured in all of the seventh generation video game consoles by 2008.[4]
The NFS series is among the best-selling video game franchises with 100 million copies sold.[5] Electronic Arts considers one of the reasons the series has remained so popular is because "the series has long been an ever-evolving franchise, one that changes up its focus, mechanics and style every couple of years."[6]
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Original release date(s):[7]
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Release years by system: 1994 - 3DO Interactive Multiplayer,[8] 1995 - PC (DOS),[9] 1996 - PlayStation,[10] Sega Saturn[11] |
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Release years by system: 1997 - PC (Windows),[15] PlayStation[16] |
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Original release date(s):[19][20]
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Release years by system: 1998 - PC (Windows),[21] PlayStation[22] |
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Original release date(s):[24]
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Release years by system: 1999 - PC (Windows),[25] PlayStation[26] |
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Original release date(s):[27] |
Release years by system: 2000 - PC (Windows),[28] PlayStation,[29] 2004 - Game Boy Advance[30] |
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Release years by system: 2002 - GameCube,[32] PlayStation 2,[33] PC (Windows),[34] Xbox[35] |
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First game in the series to support the PS2, Xbox, and GameCube. |
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Original release date(s):[36]
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Release years by system: 2003 - Game Boy Advance,[37] GameCube,[38] PC (Windows),[39] PlayStation 2,[40] Xbox[41] 2005—Arcade[42] |
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Original release date(s):[43]
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Release years by system: 2004 - Game Boy Advance,[44] GameCube,[45] Mobile,[46] Nintendo DS,[47] PC (Windows),[48] PlayStation 2,[49] Xbox[50] |
Original release date(s):[51]
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Release years by system: 2005 - PSP |
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Original release date(s):[52]
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Release years by system: 2005 - Game Boy Advance,[53] GameCube,[54] Mobile[55] Nintendo DS,[56] PC (Windows),[57] PlayStation 2,[58] PlayStation Portable,[59] Xbox,[60] Xbox 360[61] |
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Original release date(s):[62]
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Release years by system: 2006 - GameCube,[63] Mobile[64] PC (Windows)[65] / (Mac OS X),[66] PlayStation 2,[67] PlayStation 3,[68] Wii,[69] Xbox 360[70] |
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Last game in the series to be released for the GameCube; first game to be released for the Wii. |
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Original release date(s):[71]
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Release years by system: 2007 - Mobile,[72] PC (Windows),[73] Nintendo DS,[74] PlayStation 2,[75] PlayStation 3,[76] PlayStation Portable,[77] Wii,[78] Xbox 360[79] |
Original release date(s):[80]
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Release years by system: 2008 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, Nintendo DS, PlayStation Portable, PC and Mobile |
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Original release date(s):[81]
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Release years by system: 2009 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable, PC and Mobile |
Original release date(s):[82]
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Release years by system: 2009 - Wii, Nintendo DS |
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Original release date(s):[83]
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Release years by system: 2010 - PC |
Original release date(s):[84]
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Release years by system: 2010 - Nintendo DSi and DSi XL, via DSiWare service |
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Original release date(s):[85]
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Release years by system: 2010 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii |
Original release date(s):[86] March 2011 |
Release years by system: 2011 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC |
Original release date(s): November 2011 |
Release years by system: 2011 - Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PC, Wii, Nintendo 3DS, iOS |
Original release date(s):[87]
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Release years by system: 1997—PlayStation,[88] 1999—Game Boy Color,[89] Nintendo 64,[90] PC (Windows)[91] |
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Original release date(s):[93]
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Release years by system: 1999—PlayStation,[94] 2000—Dreamcast,[95] PC (Windows)[96] |
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Original release date(s):[99]
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Release years by system: 2001—PC (Windows)[100] |
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This game was originally produced by Electronic Arts as a spin-off to the Need for Speed series, though, it was later confirmed that the game was a part of the series. Shut down on October 29, 2003.[101] |
There were also two Japanese only titles. Over Drivin Skyline Memorial for the ps1 and also Nissan presents Over Drivin GT-R for the Sega Saturn. They are different versions of the first Need for Speed.
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