GamesRadar - Need for Speed SHIFT

Need for Speed: Shift Update Includes DLC, Available Now (News)

Dec 2, 2009

Contrary to a previous report, Need for Speed: Shift's Team Racing Pack DLC is in fact included in the latest PC update for the game, currently available for download.

EA: No Plans For Need For Speed SHIFT PC DLC (News)

Nov 25, 2009

EA has told IncGamers it has no plans to release the upcoming Team Racing Pack DLC for Need for Speed SHIFT on PC.

Need for Speed: Shift - Team racing (Video)

Nov 20, 2009

NFS is reborn as a series with more emphasis on driving with a slight sim edge to it and with less emphasis on campy cutscenes. And with stunning visuals the gamble paid off.

Need for Speed SHIFT (Screenshots)

Nov 20, 2009

Need for Speed: Shift - 2010 Mustang (Video)

Nov 10, 2009

NFS is reborn as a series with more emphasis on driving with a slight sim edge to it and with less emphasis on campy cutscenes. And with stunning visuals the gamble paid off.

NFS Shift shifts 2.5 million (News)

Nov 10, 2009

TVGB: "EA is releasing their Q2 results today and within come lots of interesting tidbits of news, as these things always do. Among them is the sales numbers for Need for Speed: Shift, which has proven to do quite well for the company - 2.5 million copies sold and counting kind of well."

EA: We're proud of NFS Shift sales numbers (News)

Oct 21, 2009

Speaking to VideoGamer.com on the back of the Need for Speed franchise reaching 100 million units sold, Keith Munro, Vice President Global Marketing for Electronic Arts, revealed that the recently released racing simulation Need for Speed Shift has met the publisher's sales expectations.

"I think it's done pretty much what we had expected. As you know, it's the first Need for Speed game in many years to launch into the September window, traditionally we launch in November, the holiday window. So we're excited yes," said Munro.

NFS franchise has surpassed 100M units sold (News)

Oct 21, 2009

EA has announced that the Need for Speed franchise has surpassed 100 million units sold life to date.

The recent release of Need for Speed Shift pushed the franchise over the 100M mark, making it the best-selling racing brand in the gaming world. The franchise has generated over $2.7 billion in life-to-date sales.

Video: NFS Shift "Performance Tuning" Trailer (News)

Oct 12, 2009

The Need For Speed Shift developers have decided to go further with proving how 'hardcore' their racing simulator is by producing a very technical trailer. The trailer shows the gamer how far they can go high tuning their car. [You can even buy a multitude of spoilers!]

Need for Speed SHIFT - Silverstone track (Video)

Oct 8, 2009

NFS is reborn as a series with more emphasis on driving with a slight sim edge to it and with less emphasis on campy cutscenes. And with stunning visuals the gamble paid off.

SELL: Multiplatform titles sell better on PS3 in France (News)

Sep 28, 2009

The SELL (French Trade union of the Entertainment Software Publishers) has published the latest software sales figures from France, which include the numbers for Need for Speed Shift and Dirt 2 on PS3.

Need For Speed SHIFT UK Championship Winner Announced (News)

Sep 28, 2009

Electronic Arts has teamed up with GAME to create the ultimate videogame driving challenge, the Need For Speed SHIFT UK Championships, offering race fans the chance to win a Nissan 350gt. With heats taking place from 28th August to 20th September, the final rounds took place this weekend.

Need for Speed Shift - First Mods Coming In (News)

Sep 27, 2009

With the initial buzz about the release of Need for Speed Shift slowly easing off, clever PC modders have started looking for ways to further improve Slightly Mad Studio's newest title.

Basis for all modding is a tool named QuickBMS that allows packing and unpacking of Shift's files. More info on the tool and support can be found in the XeNTaX forums.

One of the first guys to take advantage of the new possibilities is Tobias Kluge who has released two Need for Speed Shift mods. The first one reduces or completely removes the depth of field blur at high speeds as you can see on the comparison shots below. The second reduces the AI aggression to 55%, resulting in much cleaner racing. Optionally, the mod also reduces the grip level for those who feel that the cars in Shift are too grippy.

Those of you who are still struggling with the right settings for their wheels might want to try Techade's FFB profile. The guys knows what he's doing, being the author of the RealFeel plugin for rFactor. And if you have other issues with Shift, EA has posted a Q&A that provides solutions to the most common problems.

Need for Speed Shift: First patch available (News)

Sep 22, 2009

The first patch for Need for Speed Shift is now available. It covers a LAN-mode for the PC version.

Need for Speed M3 Mission Sweepstakes: Mission One Details (News)

Sep 22, 2009

Nine Over Ten 9/10 has posted up details on Mission One for the Need for Speed M3 Mission Sweepstakes, held by EA and Need for Speed.

There will be 34 daily winners today and 33 will get a copy of Need for Speed SHIFT, while one lucky winner will walk away with an Xbox 360 console AND a wireless racing wheel.

Need for Speed Shift leads on PS3 in UK Charts (News)

Sep 21, 2009

EA's Need for Speed Shift has driven its way to the top of the UK All Formats Chart, with the PS3 version taking the top position.

Topping last week's new entry Guitar Hero 5, Need for Speed: Shift, which marks a departure for EA's racing series, debuts at number one this week.

Developed by the London Studio, Slightly Mad, the game brings a simulated feel to the series, rather than its previous arcade roots.

Need for Speed Shift demo now available for PC (News)

Sep 18, 2009

The demo for Need Need for Speed Shift is now available for PC. It's 1.1 GB big.

Need for Speed SHIFT (Review)

Sep 15, 2009

No doubt about it, drafting in British developers Slightly Mad Studios has revitalised the series and turned it into a serious contender. Of course, it helps that Need for Speed SHIFT has clearly used last year’s king of the road, Codemaster’s brilliant GRID, as its benchmark.

Gone are the police. ...

Up for Grabs: Invites to Need for Speed Shift Event (17th Sept - Los Angeles) (News)

Sep 10, 2009

Nine Over Ten 9/10 has posted up a new Need for Speed trailer and details on how to get invites to an exclusive Need for Speed: Shift event on the 17th of September in The Geisha House, Hollywood Boulevard.

Not only do participants get to try out the game, but they have the chance to speak with members of the Need for Speed team.

Need for Speed SHIFT Races To UK Retail On September 18 With Adrenaline-Pumping Global Soundtrack (News)

Sep 10, 2009

Electronic Arts Inc. Today announced the track list that will propel players to the finish line in Need for Speed SHIFT when it hits retail stores in the UK on September 18. The SHIFT soundtrack features some of today's most influential hip hop and rock artists including Kanye West, The Prodigy, Kasabian, and MSTRKRFT. 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.

Need for Speed Virtual Driver Revealed (News)

Sep 7, 2009

Need for Speed SHIFT, the all-new authentic Racing game in the Need for Speed series, will hit stores on September 18th 2009. And for those who can't wait until then, Electronic Arts have revealed a very special treat.

Slightly Mad: GT5's damage isn't "quite so realistic" (News)

Sep 7, 2009

Slightly Mad Studios' Andy Tudor has suggested that Gran Turismo 5's damage modelling isn't "quite so realistic" as Need For Speed: Shift's.

Need For Speed: Shift was originally ProStreet 2 (News)

Sep 7, 2009

EA's upcoming 'realistic action racing' game Need For Speed: Shift initially started life as a direct sequel to 2007's Need For Speed: ProStreet, the game's Lead Designer Andy Tudor has told GamerZines.

"Yeah. It [Shift] actually started out as ProStreet 2.

"You'll see the obvious references, like we've got the Tokyo track in there, albeit a bit more mature; there's no balloons or anything like that. The thing with ProStreet was that they couldn't go straight from street racing to a track racer - that would have annoyed a few people. So it was really the first stage of the transition, mixing courses with the street stuff, and this is where they (EA) always wanted it to go.

Need For Speed: Shift System Requirements Announced (News)

Sep 4, 2009

Today the Need for Speed team released the official minimum system requirements for Need for Speed: Shift. It turns out they're a bit different than the specs that were floating around the Internet a few months back.

Need For Speed SHIFT UK Championships Venues Revealed (News)

Aug 28, 2009

Following yesterday's announcement that Electronic Arts has teamed up with retailer GAME to create the Need For Speed SHIFT UK Championships, Electronic Theatre can today reveal the venues at which players will be able to participate. Starting today, August 28th 2009, gamers will be able to put their racing skills to the test as they compete to post the fastest lap times on the forthcoming Need for Speed SHIFT, the latest edition of EA Games' renowned Need for Speed series.

PCGH: Need for Speed Shift: Hands-on test with Triple Head 2 Go system (News)

Aug 25, 2009

The guys at PCGH tested NfS Shift @ Gamescom with Uber hardware configs like Triple head 2 Go and D-Box racing seats. While Shift obviously made a lot of fun, the graphics especially on the Xbox 360 was a disappointment.

No Need for Speed Shift 2 in 2010 (News)

Aug 20, 2009

During a demo of Need for Speed Shift today at GamesCom, EA Black Box producer Jesse Abney told Gaming Only that gamers should not expect a new Need for Speed Shift in 2010. He said that EA is taking more time for concepting and preproduction to improve the quality of the games. He did not want to elaborate on whether we will see a Need for Speed next year or what it will be called.

Need for Speed Shift: first review (News)

Aug 17, 2009

The world's first review of Need for Speed: Shift has been published in the German games magazine "Games aktuell". The magazine has given the game a "games-hit"-award which translates to a score of 85+. The exact score cannot be determined at the moment, but the article shows the first two pages of the review. Translation inside.

Things finally looking up for Need for Speed (News)

Aug 13, 2009

EA knows that it has a strong product in Need for Speed: Shift; one that might just turn the struggling franchise around. We may agree or disagree once we play it, but the publisher's confidence in the game is there for all to see. It's the kind of confidence we haven't seen in a Need for Speed game for quite a few years. But what's really encouraging to see is that even if Shift is a critical and commercial success, EA doesn't plan to milk it for all its worth by releasing a follow-up title next year.

GRID dev on NFS: Shift: 'We're quite flattered' (News)

Aug 10, 2009

Codies man reckons brands survive through having focus.

Codemasters game design manager Ralph Fulton has said the team behind last year's excellent Race Driver: GRID is "flattered" by EA's upcoming racer Need for Speed: Shift.

GRID, a cross between arcade and simulation racing, won rave reviews upon its release last May, including a 9/10 from Tom, and a host of awards.

Need For Speed: SHIFT - Nissan 2000 Skyline GTR Profile (News)

Aug 8, 2009

Here is another vehicle profile of a Need For Speed: SHIFT car, the Nissan Skyline 2000 GT-R, and a few screens which look top notch.

The S-3D Gaming Alliance Formed to Promote Stereoscopic 3D Gaming (News)

Aug 8, 2009

According to the U-DECIDE Initiative, a well received study of modern gamers, 93% of survey respondents want to see game developers support stereoscopic 3D technology. The industry's answer is to start development of The S-3D Gaming Alliance, an organization that is 100% focused on making stereoscopic 3D Gaming possible through standards, education, and product adoption.

Some of S3DGAs founding companies include Blitz Games Studios, DDD, iZ3D, Jon Peddie Research, TDVision Corp, XpanD, and more.

Need For Speed: SHIFT - BMW M3 GT2 profile (News)

Aug 8, 2009

Here is another vehicle profile from NFS: Shift, the BMW M3 GT2

NFS: Shift playable at Evergreen Speedway this weekend (News)

Aug 7, 2009

Calling all Seattle-dwellers. Do you want to play Need For Speed: Shift this weekend, a month before the game goes on general release?

Then you should probably think about heading down to this weekend's Formula D event being held at Evergreen Speedway in Monroe, Washington. EA will have a playable version of the game on show, and you'll also get to meet Need For Speed Community Managers Andrew and Drew. Which would be nice, wouldn't it?

Need For Speed: SHIFT - BMW 135i Coupe Profile (News)

Jul 20, 2009

EA has released a vehicle profile of the BMW 135i Coupe being featured in Need For Speed: SHIFT along with some screens.

NFS Shift drift mode revealed (w/ screens and video) (News)

Jul 12, 2009

From the official NFS website:

"After a few weeks of quiet since E3 we're pleased to reveal a new game mode for Need for Speed SHIFT: Drifting. In the last few years the sport has rocketed in popularity to point where there are large, successful tournaments around the world. When it came time to add it to SHIFT we wanted to ensure the mode was treated with the same degree of accuracy as the rest of the game so we worked closely with Team Falken driver and World Champion Vaughn Gittin JR. Initially the plan was for Vaughn to play the game a few times and give some feedback but he ended up spending more than 100 hours with the team to make sure the Drift experience was as close to real-life as possible.

The team have worked exceptionally hard to ensure the mode replicated the true driving sensation of Drifting and created the same immersive experience as the rest of the racing in SHIFT - just check out the detail inside Vaughn's Mustang if you want more detail of this. While you could already expect the physics to be as realistic as possible, particular praise should go to the car team who've managed to re-create some classic Drift cars into the game.

Designing and coding a drift mode has always been a very tricky experience particularly when trying to make it accessible for new gamers and hardcore gamers alike so the design team spent a lot of time working to make sure the mode is as hard (or as easy) as you want it to be. For new gamers an Amateur setting teaches the basic of Drifting and then slowly ups the skill level until they can complete against the best."

There is also a video at this link: http://www.needforspeed.com/portal/site/nfs/news/details/?contentId=6927c90107162210VgnVCM1000006017780aRCRD

Need for Speed: Shift System Requirements (News)

Jun 26, 2009

Gamikaze.pl has published system requirements for the upcoming Need for Speed: Shift game. To even think about running the game one has to have a 3.2GHz Intel Pentium 4 Processor, 1GB RAM and a PCI-Express, pixel shader 3.0 compatible graphic card with 256MB.

Death Race 2009 (Feature)

Jun 18, 2009

By now, you might’ve come upon one of our E3 09 “VS” features, where we pit upcoming high-profile titles of a similar nature against one another based on the demos experienced while stumbling punchdrunk across this year’s show floor ...

Need For Speed SHIFT, Fact Sheet and E3 Screens (News)

Jun 1, 2009

Need for Speed SHIFT is an all-new simulation racing IP that combines the true driver's experience with real-world physics, pixel-perfect car models, and a wide range of authentic race tracks. Need for Speed SHIFT takes players in a different direction to create a simulation experience that replicates the true feeling of driving high-end performance cars.
Players are thrust into the loud, visceral, intense, athletic experience of racing a car on the edge of control from the driver's perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the brutal experience of a first person crash dynamic. Need for Speed SHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge.........

NFS: SHIFT Details And Screens (News)

May 29, 2009

EA has released full details about its upcoming racer, Need For Speed: SHIFT. The game will feature 18 authentic race tracks and over 65 pixel-perfect cars including the one-of-a-kind BMW M3 GT2 that will grace the cover. There are also 4 shots on the M3 to chck out.

Need for Speed SHIFT looks stunning in new trailer (News)

May 29, 2009

EA has released a new trailer of Need For Speed SHIFT along with a smattering of new screens and we're all revved up about it. Not only does the action look super-slick even for a NFS title, but the racing is extremely reminiscent of Codemasters' awesome GRID. ...

NFS Shift: is looking like it will be a true sim racer. (more details) (News)

May 17, 2009

(I filed this under rumors as it has not yet been confirmed by EA. Although, the website from which the info originates from is regarded as reliable.)

For those worried that NFS Shift would be a carbon copy of GRiD this latest info should quell your fears. GTsurgeons has uncovered some promising details regarding the games physics model. From the looks of it Shift will be closer the games like Gran Turismo, Forza, and even PC sims like rFactor and GTR1/2/E. This is good news for hardcore racing fans. The article also reiterates that the game will still be approachable for those that are used the more arcade style driving games. Here are some highlights translated from the site:

* Physics model of NFS: Shift is based on those of "Ferrari Project"

* Professional setting is more accurate to drive than in GTR2

* Eero Piitulainen of Richard Burns Rally has developed totally new tyre-physics model which is mainly responsible for new physics

* Difference between 3 physics-models is in assist levels, while lowest setting will provide around 10% of more tyre grip for beginners

* Professional setting will require wheel in order to successfully manage throttle/braking and steering inputs

Follow the link for more info. So sim fans I hope this makes your day.

Need for Speed: Shift Like Gran Turismo? Nope: We Want Our Game to Be Fun (News)

Apr 27, 2009

VG247: "Need for Speed: Shift is obviously gunning for realism. You'd kind of expect the Slightly Mad title, then, to have Gran Turismo in its sights. Apparently not. Shift is going to be about "fun," not "driving in a straight line," producer Jesse Abney told VG247 in London last week."

New Need For Speed Model? (News)

Apr 3, 2009

It seems that Michelle Cifuentes may be the new Need For Speed model this year.

Need For Speed: Shift Website Launched (News)

Mar 24, 2009

EA has unveiled the new NFS: Shift official website.

Need for Speed SHIFT Dated (UK) (News)

Mar 23, 2009

Players are thrust into the loud, intense, and athletic experience of racing a car from the driver's perspective through the combination of perception based G-forces, the hyper reality of the cockpit view, and the all-new brutally disorienting crash dynamic. Need for Speed SHIFT features an accurate, accessible physics-based driving model that allows you to feel every impact, every change of track surface and every last bit of grip as you push yourself to the edge.

Need for Speed SHIFT 'best-looking racing game ever' (News)

Mar 5, 2009

VideoGamer.com writes: "Need for Speed SHIFT is "the best-looking racing game ever made", developer Slightly Mad Studios has boldly claimed. Not only that, but the stunning screen shots are all in-game, and not, as some have suggested, renders."

Need for Speed: SHIFT (Preview)

Mar 4, 2009

“Whoa!” We’re pretty sure that’s exactly the response EA and Black Box were angling for when they recently showed off Need for Speed: SHIFT, ‘cause that’s sure as hell the one they got. Why else would they be going around demoing the game earlier than ever in the franchise’s history if they weren’t 100% certain of the wow factor therein? ...

3 Need For Speed Titles for 2009- First "untouched" Screen shot (News)

Jan 31, 2009

From OXCGN:

"It seems Electronic Arts have been listening to its Need For Speed supporters and has decided to completely re-vamp the Franchise. It will launch 3 new games in 2009, followed by a further widening of one of the games in 2010 to a worldwide game.

There will be 3 titles, 1 for the Consoles called Need For Speed:Shift, 1 for the Wii and DS called, Need For Speed: Nitro and finally a Play 4 Free series for the PC (Asia only in 2009) called Need For Speed: World Online.

They have released the first untouched screen shot which looks remarkably like those in GRID, which is probably the best Arcade racer on the console at the moment."