<s>
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Unbound	I-Application
(	O
stylised	O
as	O
NFS	B-Application
Unbound	I-Application
)	O
is	O
a	O
2022	O
racing	O
video	O
game	O
developed	O
by	O
Criterion	O
Games	O
and	O
published	O
by	O
Electronic	O
Arts	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
It	O
is	O
the	O
twenty-fifth	O
instalment	O
in	O
the	B-Application
Need	I-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
series	O
,	O
the	O
first	O
for	O
Criterion	O
since	O
2013	O
's	O
Rivals	B-Application
with	O
Ghost	O
Games	O
and	O
the	O
first	O
as	O
the	O
main	O
developer	O
since	O
2012	O
's	O
Most	B-Application
Wanted	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
features	O
an	O
art	O
style	O
that	O
merges	O
artistic	O
elements	O
like	O
cel-shading	O
and	O
graffiti	B-Application
art	I-Application
with	O
the	O
more	O
realistic	O
art	O
style	O
of	O
other	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
games	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
released	O
worldwide	O
on	O
December	O
2	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
for	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
,	O
Windows	O
,	O
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X/S	I-Device
.	O
</s>
<s>
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Unbound	I-Application
is	O
a	O
racing	O
game	O
set	O
in	O
a	O
fictional	O
city	O
called	O
Lakeshore	O
City	O
,	O
which	O
is	O
based	O
on	O
Chicago	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
"	O
heat	O
system	O
"	O
from	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Heat	I-Application
returns	O
in	O
Unbound	O
,	O
where	O
the	O
player	O
attempts	O
to	O
gain	O
notoriety	O
among	O
the	O
police	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
In	O
February	O
2020	O
,	O
it	O
was	O
announced	O
that	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
future	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
games	O
would	O
return	O
to	O
Criterion	O
Games	O
from	O
Ghost	O
Games	O
,	O
as	O
the	O
studio	O
was	O
referred	O
back	O
to	O
EA	O
Gothenburg	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Criterion	O
Games	O
previously	O
worked	O
on	O
Hot	B-Application
Pursuit	I-Application
(	O
2010	O
)	O
and	O
Most	B-Application
Wanted	I-Application
(	O
2012	O
)	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
The	O
game	O
was	O
originally	O
going	O
to	O
be	O
released	O
in	O
2021	O
but	O
was	O
pushed	O
back	O
to	O
2022	O
as	O
the	O
team	O
was	O
temporarily	O
reassigned	O
to	O
assist	O
the	O
development	O
of	O
Battlefield	B-Application
2042	I-Application
.	O
</s>
<s>
A	O
few	O
days	O
prior	O
to	O
the	O
reveal	O
,	O
fans	O
noticed	O
that	O
EA	O
had	O
accidentally	O
revealed	O
the	O
name	O
of	O
their	O
upcoming	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
title	O
early	O
on	O
their	O
website	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
At	O
an	O
additional	O
cost	O
to	O
the	O
base	O
game	O
,	O
NFS	B-Application
Unbound	I-Application
Palace	O
Edition	O
includes	O
various	O
branded	O
bonuses	O
,	O
including	O
four	O
cars	O
with	O
Palace	O
liveries	O
and	O
20	O
items	O
of	O
Palace-branded	O
clothing	O
for	O
the	O
player	O
's	O
in-game	O
character	O
to	O
wear	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Unbound	I-Application
had	O
an	O
early	O
access	O
release	O
for	O
its	O
Palace	O
Edition	O
on	O
November	O
29	O
,	O
2022	O
,	O
with	O
EA	B-Application
Play	I-Application
members	O
(	O
including	O
Xbox	B-Application
Game	I-Application
Pass	I-Application
Ultimate	I-Application
members	O
)	O
being	O
able	O
to	O
try	O
it	O
for	O
ten	O
hours	O
and	O
EA	B-Application
Play	I-Application
Pro	O
members	O
having	O
unlimited	O
early	O
access	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
According	O
to	O
Metacritic	O
,	O
the	O
PlayStation	B-Device
5	I-Device
and	O
Xbox	B-Device
Series	I-Device
X	I-Device
versions	O
of	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Unbound	I-Application
have	O
received	O
"	O
generally	O
favorable	O
reviews	O
"	O
,	O
while	O
the	O
PC	O
version	O
has	O
received	O
"	O
mixed	O
or	O
average	O
reviews	O
"	O
.	O
</s>
<s>
Sales	O
of	O
the	O
game	O
were	O
down	O
64%	O
when	O
compared	O
with	O
its	O
predecessor	O
Need	B-Application
for	I-Application
Speed	I-Application
Heat	I-Application
.	O
</s>
