Action racer Need For Speed Unbound is seeing post-release content and support extend into a second year since its 2022 launch with the “Drift & Drag Update” arriving on Tuesday. Criterion Games says three new modes are inspired by the 2003 classic Need for Speed Underground, and part of an effort to “deliver the ultimate NFS experience in one place for the first time.”
Drift mode will add better handling for drift-built autos, Criterion said. “Crafted for those who speak in curves and think in throttle, this mode updates drifting to the classic ways with an overhauled handling model for drift builds,” the studio said in a blog post. Drift playlists are now also available in PVP and Free Roam modes.
Drag mode’s challenge “comes from manual gear shifts, strategic lane changes to dodge obstacles, and perfectly timed nitrous boosts.” It supports up to four players, Criterion said.
The modes are accompanied by two more cars, a 2024 Ford Mustang Dark Horse and a 2023 BMW M3 Competition Touring.
There’s also The League, a single-player experience in the game’s Free Roam mode, where players can challenge AI rivals to one off races and win their unique cars, adding them to their fleets.
Drift & Drag is the seventh “volume” of content for the game, which Electronic Arts published in December 2022 for Xbox Series X and PlayStation 5. The game has also featured a live-service style Speed Pass with dozens of free unlockables, similar to a battle pass system.
The next update, sometime this fall, will be a Cops vs. Racers update that is inspired by 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. Need For Speed Unbound has been available to PlayStation Plus Extra tier subscribers since February.
