Need for Speed Unbound: release date of new 2022 NFS game, will it be on PS4, trailer - and full car list

EA has officially unveiled the next Need For Speed game, and it will be released this year! Need For Speed Unbound is its name, and it’s taking a slightly different approach to previous games in the series.

Where titles that have gone before have presented a self-serious tone and pushed for realism in their visuals (at times leaving the street racing narratives at their core feeling clunky and forced), Unbound appears to be embracing the ‘arcade racer’ theme and going for a much more cartoonish look.

From the brief peak at the game the first trailer gives us, that street racing culture aesthetic still seems a little hackneyed (although the involvement of rapper A$AP Rocky - who will have his own mode in the new entry - should inject some authentic enthusiasm into the game), but it at least looks very interesting.

Here is everything you need to know about it, including when you can play it.

What’s new in Need for Speed Unbound?

It’s hard to tell from the brief trailer what is actually gameplay, what could be a cinematic cutscene, or if any of it is actually pre-rendered visuals not running in real time.

But it looks as though in-race visuals will be peppered with graffiti-style overlays, which certainly gives a stylish flair to proceedings. Players will be rewarded with Burst Nitrous boosts for stylish driving for instance, and triggering one of these looks to plaster the screen with colourful artwork.

The game will be set in another Need for Speed open-world, known as Lake Shore and loosely based on the real-life Chicago. Of course, the local police department plays a large, antagonistic part in the game, and will be on your case if you break too many traffic rules.

Unbound, which has been in production since at least 2020, will have an offline single-player option as well as cross-play, in addition to a strong emphasis on street racing.

That single-player mode will feature a “completely new campaign structure,” as well as "immersive narrative" in which two friends are ripped apart by a robbery at a family auto shop, forcing the player to win the "ultimate street race" to reclaim a precious car.

Need for Speed Unbound is the first game in the series to be primarily developed by Guildford-based development studio Criterion since 2013 - the team is best known for classic racers such as Burnout Paradise and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit.

When can I play it?

Need for Speed Unbound is set for release on 2 December 2022. It will be available on Xbox Series X/S, PS5 and PC.

Will it be on Xbox One and PS4?

We may be a couple of years into the lifespace of the new Xbox Series X/S and PlayStation 5 consoles, but gamers who have yet not had a chance to upgrade to the latest machines have been well catered for, with most new games launching on both current and last-gen systems.

Unfortunately, that’s not the case with Need for Speed Unbound, and it’ll only be available for ‘current-generation’ games consoles, meaning your Xbox Series X/S or PS5.

That’s good news for those lucky enough to own one of those three consoles, as it means the development team will have been able to focus on pushing graphical features further, and not be tethered to older tech.

But those still in the ‘last-gen’ will have to get their hands on a new console - or have a PC powerful enough to run the game - to play the next Need for Speed title.

Which cars are included?

EA has revealed that there will be a grand total of 143 different cars available in the game at launch - it’s likely more will be added at a later date.

The full list of confirmed cars for Need for Speed Unbound so far is as follows:

• Acura NSX 2017
• Acura RSX-S 2004
• Alfa Romeo Giulia Quadrifoglio 2016
• Aston Martin DB5 1964
• Aston Martin DB11 Volante 2018
• Aston Martin DB11 2017
• Aston Martin Vulcan 2016
• BMW M3 2006
• BMW M3 Evolution II 1988
• BMW X6 M 2016
• BMW M3 2010
• BMW M5 2018
• BMW Z4 M40i 2019
• BMW M4 Coupe 2018
• BMW M2 Competition 2019
• BMW M1 1981
• BMW i8 Coupe 2018
• BMW M4 GTS 2016
• BMW M3 Convertible 2010
• BMW M4 Convertible 2017
• BMW i8 Roadster 2018
• Bugatti Chiron Sport 2017
• Buick Grand National GNX 1987
• Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 2020
• Chevrolet Corvette Stingray Convertible 2020
• Chevrolet C10 Stepside Pickup 1965
• Chevrolet Corvette Grand Sport 2017
• Chevrolet Camaro Z28 2014
• Chevrolet Corvette Z06 2013
• Chevrolet Camaro SS 1967
• Chevrolet Bel Air 1955
• Chevrolet Corvette ZR1 2019
• Chevrolet Colorado ZR2 2017
• Dodge Challenger SRT8 2014
• Dodge Charger R/T 1969
• Dodge Charger SRT Hellcat 2019
• Ferrari LaFerrari 2016
• Ferrari Testarossa Coupé 1984
• Ferrari 488 GTB 2016
• Ferrari F40 1988
• Ferrari 458 Italia 2009
• Ferrari 488 Pista 2019
• Ferrari FXX-K Evo 2018
• Ferrari 458 Spider 2011
• Ford F-150 Raptor 2017
• Ford Mustang GT 2015
• Ford GT 2017
• Ford Mustang BOSS 302 1969
• Ford Mustang 1965
• Ford Mustang Foxbody 1990
• Ford Crown Victoria 2008
• Ford Focus RS 2016
• Ford Mustang GT Convertible 2019
• Honda Civic Type-R 2000
• Honda Civic Type-R 2015
• Honda NSX Type-R 1992
• Honda S2000 Ultimate Edition 2009
• Infiniti Q60S 2017
• Jaguar F-Type R Coupe 2016
• Jaguar F-Type R Convertible 2019
• Koenigsegg Regera 2016
• Lamborghini Countach LPI 800-4 2021
• Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 2018
• Lamborghini Aventador S 2018
• Lamborghini Countach 25th Anniversary 1989
• Lamborghini Murciélago SV 2010
• Lamborghini Urus 2018
• Lamborghini Huracán Performante 2018
• Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Coupe 2019
• Lamborghini Diablo SV 1995
• Lamborghini Huracán LP580-2 Spyder 2018
• Lamborghini Aventador S Roadster 2018
• Lamborghini Aventador SVJ Roadster 2019
• Lamborghini Aventador LP750-4 SV Roadster 2018
• Lamborghini Huracán Performante Spyder 2018
• Land Rover Range Rover Sport SVR 2015
• Land Rover Defender 110 Double Cab Pickup 2015
• Lotus Exige S 2006
• Lotus Emira 2021
• Mazda RX-7 Spirit R 2002
• Mazda MX5 1996
• Mazda RX-8 Spirit R (R3) 2011
• Mazda MX5 2015
• McLaren P1 2014
• McLaren F1 1993
• McLaren 570S 2015
• McLaren 570S Spider 2018
• McLaren 600LT 2018
• McLaren P1 GTR 2015
• Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 1988
• Mercedes-AMG C 63 Coupe 2018
• Mercedes-AMG G 63 2017
• Mercedes-AMG GT S 2019
• Mercedes-AMG A 45 2016
• Mercedes-AMG GT R 2017
• Mercedes-AMG GT S Roadster 2019
• Mercedes-AMG C 63 Cabriolet 2018
• Mercedes-AMG GT Black Series 2021
• Mercury Cougar 1967
• MINI John Cooper Works Countryman 2017
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX 2007
• Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution X 2008
• Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX 1999
• NISSAN GT-R Premium 2017
• NISSAN Skyline GT-R V·Spec 1999
• NISSAN 370Z Heritage Edition 2019
• NISSAN Silvia K’s 1998
• NISSAN Z Prototype 2022
• NISSAN Silvia Spec-R Aero 2002
• NISSAN Skyline GT-R V·Spec 1993
• NISSAN 350Z 2008
• NISSAN Skyline 2000 GT-R 1971
• NISSAN Fairlady 240ZG 1971
• NISSAN 180SX Type X 1996
• NISSAN 370Z Nismo 2015
• NISSAN GT-R Nismo 2017
• Pagani Huayra BC 2017
• Plymouth Cuda 1970
• Polestar Polestar 1 2020
• Pontiac Firebird 1977
• Porsche 911 GT3 RS 2019
• Porsche 911 Carrera RSR 2.8 1973
• Porsche 918 Spyder 2015
• Porsche 718 Cayman GTS 2018
• Porsche 911 Carrera S 1997
• Porsche 911 GT2 RS 2018
• Porsche Panamera Turbo 2017
• Porsche 911 Turbo S Exclusive Series 2018
• Porsche Boxster 718 Spyder 2020
• Porsche 911 Carrera GTS 2018
• Porsche 911 Turbo S Cabriolet Exclusive 2018
• Porsche 911 Targa 4 GTS 2018
• Porsche 911 Carrera GTS Convertible 2018
• Porsche Cayman GT4 2015
• SRT Viper GTS 2014
• SUBARU Impreza WRX STI 2006
• SUBARU BRZ Premium 2014
• SUBARU Impreza WRX STI 2010
• Volkswagen Beetle 1963
• Volkswagen Golf GTI 1976
• Volkswagen Golf GTI Clubsport 2016
• Volvo 242DL 1975
• Volvo Amazon P130 1970