Need for Speed Unbound officially revealed, featuring a new cel-shaded art style

After a series of leaks and reports, the next Need for Speed game has finally been revealed. It’s called Need for Speed Unbound, it has a new cel-shaded look, and it’s launching in December.

The Unbound name leaked ahead of time on EA’s own website, but the official reveal trailer confirms it. It also confirms the long-reported “anime elements,” as we can see a whole lot of cel-shaded flair in the footage. A$AP Rocky, the prominent rapper featured in the trailer, looks especially cool when rendered in this art style, and little touches like green swirls around spinning tires and smoke trails from behind speeding cars really bring the whole look together.

As for what you’ll be doing in Need for Speed Unbound, the trailer description says players will
“race against time, outsmart the cops, and take on weekly qualifiers to reach The Grand, Lakeshore’s ultimate street racing challenge.” Additionally, you’ll be customizing both your car and driver, giving the game a personalized touch. Some fans previously pointed out that the “Unbound” titling implies that this game will feature an open world, but that’s still not confirmed by this trailer one way or the other.

Luckily there are only a few months before the full game releases. This trailer confirmed the reported release date of December 2 and the claim that it would be a current-gen release only. Need for Speed Unbound will come to PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC via the EA App, Steam, and the Epic Games Store. PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and Nintendo Switch are all left out. Preordering ahead of time gets you three-day early access to the game, as well as several in-game bonuses: a driving effect, license plate, banner artwork, sticker, and in-game currency. Need for Speed Unbound offers a Standard and a Palace Edition. The latter includes additional bonuses like decals, more driving effects, and driver clothing.