Need for Speed™ Unbound

Need for Speed Unbound (stylised as NFS Unbound) is a 2022 racing video game developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts. It was released for PlayStation 5, Windows, and Xbox Series X/S on December 2, 2022. An Amazon Luna port was released on June 12, 2025. Unbound is the twenty-fifth instalment in the Need for Speed series, and the successor to 2019's Heat which additionally commemorates the series' 30th anniversary. It is the first game in the series to be developed by Criterion since 2013's Rivals (a collaboration with then-lead studio Ghost Games) and the studio's first as the main developer of the series since 2012's Most Wanted. Unbound features an art style that merges artistic elements like cel-shading and graffiti art with the more realistic art style of other Need for Speed games. The game takes place in the fictional "Lakeshore City", which is inspired by Chicago, Illinois. Upon release, the console versions received generally positive reviews from critics, while reviews for the PC version were more mixed. Critics praised the artstyle, gameplay, and customization, while criticism focused on the lack of innovation and story. Though Unbound's overall reception was an improvement over that of the recent Ghost Games-developed titles, retail sales were down 64% compared to its predecessor. As of 2026, Unbound is the most recent Need for Speed installment to be released, as EA has since shifted Criterion's focus to the Battlefield franchise, leaving the franchise dormant.