Leaked Need for Speed Game Showcases New Art Style, Confirms Release Date 

Fans of Need for Speed won’t have to wait long for the next installment in the series, as Need for Speed: Unbound leaks ahead of its official reveal.  

On Wednesday, members of r/NeedForSpeed subreddit spotted a leaked listing for Need for Speed: Unbound through a Japanese retailer Neowing, which provided a few screenshots. The game is set to hit the shelves on December 2 this year, challenging the Forza Horizon franchise.  

The game will heavily lean into cel-shaded anime-like art style and hip-hop aesthetics with A$AP Rocky working on the game’s soundtrack alongside French composer and producer Brodinski.  

Electronic Arts will officially reveal the game on October 6 at 8 AM PT/11 AM ET. A 90-second trailer for the game will reportedly be unveiled. The game will focus on customization and include a feature called “meetups” where players can sync up to compete in races and also flaunt their customizable car gears.  

The Google-translated description from Neowing’s website says

Fill your garage with precision-tuned custom machines, put on your own style and exclusive looks, and light up the streets with a soundtrack that resonates from every corner of the world. 

Google-translated description from Neowing’s website

Go to meetups and show off your style with many items, including limited edition gear, from the latest fashions in the world. Then add the finishing touches to your car’s style, transforming it with unique wraps and cut-out items to match your legendary custom car, and take the lead in races and put your winning pose above the competition.

Google-translated description from Neowing’s website

The page has since been taken down.  

Unbound is being developed by Criterion Games, who developed Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) as well as Need for Speed: Heat. With a departure from Need for Speed’s regular Western look, the new cel-shaded graffiti art style feels like a breath of fresh air. The soundtrack is also said to be representative of the underground culture.  

According to Japanese retailer Neowing’s listing for the game, Need for Speed: Unbound will be playable exclusively on next-generation consoles, specifically the PlayStation 5. 

We still are yet to see how the game will look in action, but visually the game already looks incredibly stylish and unlike anything Need for Speed has done before. With the new visual art style, Need for Speed aims to bring an original twist to the racing genre while giving competition to Forza and Gran Turismo. More details about the game will be revealed during today’s showcase.  

About Need for Speed: Unbound

Need for Speed: Unbound is an upcoming game in the Need for Speed series with a December 2, 2022 release date, following a revision from an expected September to October release.

Following its first official reveal in June 2020, it is being developed by Criterion and is described as to “include a new Need for Speed game that is bringing some astounding visual leaps, developed by the Criterion team, who have launched some of the most highly-rated games in franchise history”. Alongside Criterion, Codemasters Cheshire is assisting in development of the game and the Need for Speed series as a whole.