Need for Speed SHIFT becomes a team sport

Electronic Arts revealed an all-new Team Racing pack for Need for Speed SHIFT to be released via PlayStation Network and Xbox Live Marketplace. The content pack features a new race mode and five racing cars - all for free. The Team Racing pack is the first downloadable content for Need for Speed SHIFT and will be available worldwide on December 1st on the Xbox 360 and on the PlayStation 3 on December 3rd in Europe and on December 10th in North America.

The Team Racing mode allows two teams of up to six racers race against each other for online supremacy. As part of the new content, players will also get access to some legendary racers including the 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray 427, 1967 Shelby GT-500, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T, 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T, and the 1998 Toyota Supra Mark IV.

Look for it on your favorite console system in early December.

Need for Speed SHIFT demo Oct. 1

Electronic Arts announced that the demo for Need for Speed SHIFT will be available for download on October 1 on PlayStation Network and Xbox LIVE. The demo gives players a chance to see how SHIFT delivers on the Need for Speed promise of speed, adrenaline and precision racing. The demo will feature
the BMW M3 (E46), 2008 Dodge Viper SRT10, 2006 Lotus Elise 111R, 2008 Nissan GT-R and the 2006 Pagani Zonda F (unlockable).

find out more and download the PC demo by visiting www.needforspeed.com.

Need for Speed SHIFT is at retail for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PSP, mobile and coming soon on the iPhone.

Need for Speed SHIFT races to retail

Need for Speed SHIFT hits retail stores today in North America and across Europe on September 17. Need for Speed SHIFT offers breakneck speeds, a cockpit view, a deeper career mode and a robust line-up of cars - if you believe what EA says. Other features include real world physics with perception based G-forces, a “brutal” first person crash dynamic, and the all-new driver profile, which gives each player a unique persona based on their driving skill and style.

Need for Speed SHIFT is available for the PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, PC, PSP and iPhone.

Hot tracks for Need for Speed SHIFT

Electronic Arts’ Need for Speed SHIFT hits retail stores in North America on September 15 (in stores across Europe on September 17, 2009) and when it does it will feature a soundtrack filled with hip hop and rock artists including Kanye West, The Prodigy, Kasabian, and MSTRKRFT. EA says that each song was hand selected to provide a pounding score that matches the intensity and bone-crushing power of this year’s Need for Speed. While that certainly is hyperbole, there are a decent selection of tunes in the game made possible with the help of EA Trax, which handles EA’s music licensing deals.

The complete soundtrack is listed below by author and song. To hear samplings of each song, visit www.ea.com/eatrax.

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Need for Speed SHIFT driver profile details

Electronic Arts revealed first details on the new driver profile system in Need for Speed SHIFT. Extending through the single player career and online multiplayer modes, driver profile gives each player a unique game experience based on the way each player drives on the track.

Driver profile is a tailor-made career mode based on four key game play components: personality (driving style dictates whether you are and aggressive or precise driver), success (whether you finish races and land at the top of the pile at the finish line), profile points (earned for just about every maneuver you perform on the track) and badges (icons that represent various in-game achievements). As a player’s driver profile develops through the course of the game, it creates rivalries, triggers specific challenges and unlocks vehicles and customization options.

During this year’s Electronic Entertainment Expo in Los Angeles, EA invited attendees to participate in a Need for Speed SHIFT Hero Car Competition that showcased the driver profile. Competitors raced around the Autopolis track in the BMW M3 GT2 hero car generating the highest number of driver profile points. The winner of the Need for Speed SHIFT Hero Car Competition, Mitchell Francis, from Los Angeles won a brand new 2009 BMW M3 Coupe.

EA is making a big deal about driver profiles, but is it a gimmick or will it truly impact the overall gameplay? We’ll have to wait and see.

Need for Speed SHIFT is being developed by Slightly Mad Studios in collaboration with Black Box and Patrick Soderlund. Slightly Mad Studios includes developers and designers that worked on GT Legends and GTR 2. The PSP version is being developed by EA’s Bright Light studio.

The game is scheduled to ship in Europe on September 17 and in North America on September 22 on the PS3, Xbox 360, PC and PSP.

Need For Speed SHIFT tracks and cars revealed

Electronic Arts announced today that Need for Speed SHIFT will feature 18 race tracks and over 65 cars including the BMW M3 GT2, which will also grace the game’s cover. At Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) in Los Angeles, attendees will also get a first look at a wide spectrum of vehicles in the game, including classic cars like the 1972 Nissan Skyline 2000GT-R, tuners like 1995 Mazda RX-7, and exclusive exotic cars like the 2007 Lamborghini Reventón.

Need for Speed SHIFT also features over 50 layouts across 18 tracks including real-world locations and fictional circuits. Players can race on famous tracks like the grueling 20 km Nordschleife or fictional circuits found in Glendale with its steep grades, hairpin corners and blind crests.

A full list of cars and tracks can found in the game can be found after the break:

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EA reveals massive E3 line-up

Electronic Arts today revealed the games it will show off at the Electronic Entertainment Expo (E3) at the Los Angeles Convention Center (LACC) June 2 - 4. The year’s lineup features sequels franchises, new intellectual property, and licensed titles across various platforms.

Highlights include Battlefield: Bad Company 2, Army of Two: The 40th Day, Brütal Legend, Dead Space Extraction, Dragon Age: Origins, Dante’s Inferno, G.I. JOE The Rise of Cobra, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Mass Effect 2, The Saboteur, MySims Agents, Need For Speed NITRO, Need for Speed SHIFT, Spore Hero, Spore Hero Arena, The Sims 3, Battlefield 1943, and Littlest Pet Shop Online.

EA Sports will be showcasing EA SPORTS Grand Slam Tennis, FIFA 10, Madden NFL 10, NCAA Football 10, NHL 10, Tiger Woods PGA TOUR 10, and Fight Night Round 4. EA Mobile will be showing off FIFA 10, The Sims 3, Mass Effect Galaxy, G.I. JOE The Rise of Cobra, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, Command & Conquer Red Alert, and Tiger Woods PGA TOUR.

EA’s entire portfolio will be on display at booth (#1501) at the Los Angeles Convention Center. Those that are not at the show will want to check out www.ea.com/e3.