San Francisco

Where the race begins and the Mob's debt comes due.

San Francisco is a key location in Need for Speed: The Run. The game's single-player campaign begins with protagonist Jack Rourke heading to San Francisco after escaping the Mob in Oakland. In San Francisco, he contacts his friend Sam Harper, a fixer who arranges his entry into the large-scale race from San Francisco to New York City. The race itself starts in San Francisco, with the first three stages taking place entirely within the city before the route heads east.

Quick Facts

Key landmark: Golden Gate Bridge

Lore & Background

In Need for Speed: The Run, San Francisco is the starting point of the illegal cross-country race. Jack Rourke, an experienced street racer in serious trouble with the Mob due to a massive debt, travels to San Francisco after escaping execution at a scrapyard in Oakland. There, he meets his friend Sam Harper, a fixer who offers to help him deal with the Mob on one condition: Rourke must enter the illegal race from San Francisco to New York City and win the $25 million cash pot. Rourke agrees, knowing that the prize money will clear his debt and help him escape the Mob. He receives a tablet device from the race's mysterious organizer detailing the route, selects a car from his personal garage, and begins the race by completing three stages within San Francisco, learning he must be in the top 150 to stay in the race.

Reader's Guide

San Francisco serves as the starting city for The Run's single-player campaign. The player, as Jack Rourke, begins the race here after meeting with Sam Harper. The first three stages of the race cover the route from San Francisco to Las Vegas. Players must finish in the top 150 after these stages to stay in the race. The game features over 300 kilometers (190 mi) of road across real-world locations, including San Francisco. Unlike previous entries, The Run features sections where the player exits their car and is on foot, with gameplay restricted to quick time events. The driving model is described as sitting 'somewhere between Shift and Hot Pursuit.' The game employs a Rewind option that allows the player to restart an event to their last checkpoint, with the number of Rewinds depending on difficulty: Easy has 10, Normal has 5, Hard has 3, and Extreme has 1.

Did You Know?

The Run features over 300 kilometers (190 mi) of road, roughly 1.5 times more than Hot Pursuit, which had about 200 km.
The 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Pagani Huayra were digitized for the game, but also appear in multiple other titles, so they are not exclusive to Need for Speed: The Run.
The game's online servers were shut down in August 2021, and it became unavailable for purchase in any online stores in May 2021.

Gallery

San Francisco — Brocken Inaglory · CC BY-SA 3.0

Frequently Asked Questions

Is there a specific landmark associated with San Francisco in the series?

Yes, the Golden Gate Bridge stands as the most recognizable landmark and often frames major races. This structure defines the visual identity of the map across various titles.

What role does the city play in the Need for Speed universe?

San Francisco functions primarily as a main racing hub where underground crews battle for territory. Its mix of density and open roads makes it an ideal venue for street racers.