Need for Speed Unbound leaks online ahead of next week's release

Over an hour of Need for Speed Unbound gameplay has leaked online.

Whilst the footage has been teased out in short, sometimes mere seconds-long snippets, there are also some chunkier videos in the mix too, including two fifteen-minute clips and one that lasts over half an hour.

It looks as though much of the gameplay has been released via Twitch livestreams from two streamers - Chocolove95 and gerrykurlsucks, according to ResetEra - and disseminated further by YouTubers who have captured the streams and re-uploaded them to their own channels. 

One is entitled "Totally NOT need for speed unbound. DO NOT LOOK EA…" whilst another reads: "NOT NFS Unbound Leaked gameplay!!! 30 mins". 

The original streams on Chocolove95, however, have been removed in the last few hours, with Twitch citing that the "content from this channel has been removed at the request of the copyright holder", suggesting the streamer did not have permission to share the game just yet.

The footage comes ahead of the game's early access period, which is scheduled to go live on November 29, just three days before its formal release date on December 2. 

EA officially launched the first Need for Speed: Unbound trailer back in October, confirming the game's hybrid, anime-inspired art style. It was revealed that Unbound will feature realistic car models and city streets, overlaid with cartoonish smoke and particle effects. Human characters also have a cel-shaded anime aesthetic.

It also boasts layered, toggleable driving effects that let players make the game look exactly as anime as they want - or not, as the case may be.

Need for Speed Unbound will be available on Xbox Series X and S, PS5, and PC via Steam, Epic, and the EA app for $69.99 USD. No old-gen versions have been announced but if you pre-order the racer, you'll be able to play the game up to three days in advance of its official street date of December 2.

For more ways to take the wheel ahead of the new Need for Speed's launch, check out our guide to the best racing games out there.