Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit is power sliding into retailers today; what better time to announce the next entrant in the franchise? Electronic Arts unveiled Need for Speed: Shift 2 Unleashed this morning, promising to set a new benchmark in authentic racing action.
The original Shift launched in September 2009 and quickly became a critical and commercial success. We awarded the game five stars and made it an Editors' Choice, and the racing sim went on to sell more than 4 million copies worldwide. EA promises Shift 2 Unleashed will continue to deliver on the first game's vaunted "true driver's experience."
"Shift 2 Unleashed is redefining immersive racing by blending the rush of tearing up the track at unbelievable speeds with the emotional experience of competitive battle," said Exec Producer Marcus Nilsson. "We are also working closely with real-world performance drivers to ensure that Shift 2 Unleashed captures their experience and becomes the benchmark in authentic racing action."
Slightly Mad Studios is back on development duty and is upgrading its design with an all-new rendering engine and graphics overhaul. Shift 2 will also feature a helmet camera view option and Autolog, the social network that makes its debut today in Hot Pursuit.
Shift 2 Unleashed is being developed for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, and Windows PCs. The game is set to ship sometime in spring 2011.
