Need for Speed: The Run
A cross-country street race from San Francisco to New York.
Need for Speed: The Run, the eighteenth game in the series, launched on November 15, 2011, for PlayStation 3, Windows, Xbox 360, Nintendo 3DS, and Wii. Developed by EA Black Box and published by Electronic Arts, it was the studio's final title before its closure in April 2013. Players control street racer Jack Rourke in a cross-country race from San Francisco to New York, featuring real-world cities and licensed cars. The game received mixed reviews.
Quick Facts
- Publisher
- Electronic Arts
- Director
- Justin Wiebe
- Producer
- Alex Grimbley
- Brian Lindley
- Steve Anthony
- Programmer
- Eric Turmel
- Artist
- Kirk Gibsons
- Writer
- Alex De Rakoff
- Series
- Need for Speed
- Engine
- Frostbite 2
Facts from the source article.
Gameplay
Need for Speed: The Run is a racing game in which players participate in street racing across real-world U.S. locations. The game features over 300 km of road, three times more than Hot Pursuit, making it the largest Need for Speed game at release. Most event types require overtaking opponents, with time attack and survival events also present. Cars are divided into performance tiers, and players can change vehicles and apply visual customizations at gas stations. Unlike earlier titles, The Run includes on-foot sections limited to quick time events. The driving model is described as sitting between Shift and Hot Pursuit, neither fully arcade nor simulation. A wide range of real-world vehicles is available, including the 2012 Porsche 911 Carrera S and the Pagani Huayra, both digitized exclusively for the game. The damage system resembles that of Hot Pursuit. Performance upgrades and visual modifications such as paint colors and body kits are available; Style Pack and Aero Pack kits affect aerodynamics and performance. An experience points system unlocks cars and events in multiplayer and Challenge Series races. A Rewind option allows restarting from the last checkpoint after a wreck, with limited uses depending on difficulty: Easy grants 10 Rewinds, Normal 5, Hard 3, and Extreme 1. Need for Speed Autolog, the franchise's social competition feature, returns to track career progression and compare stats.
Plot
Jack Rourke, an experienced street racer, owes a large debt to the Mob. After narrowly escaping being crushed in his car at a scrapyard in Oakland, he steals a Mob vehicle and flees to San Francisco. There, he contacts his friend Sam Harper, a fixer who offers to front the entry fee for an illegal cross-country race from San Francisco to New York City, on condition that Rourke wins the $25 million prize for her. Rourke agrees, keeping 10% for himself, and receives a tablet from the race's organizer detailing the route. Four hours later, he selects a car and begins three stages from San Francisco to Las Vegas, needing to finish in the top 150 to continue. He faces other racers, local police, and Marcus Blackwell, a Mob family member seeking revenge. Rourke wins the stages but is caught by a police roadblock, forcing him to evade and find a new vehicle for the next four stages to Chicago, where he must place in the top 50.
Development
After Undercover, Black Box worked on another entry with an extended development window to create a game that could "really blow the doors off the category." The game was confirmed to feature a fictional storyline and characters. In early November 2010, Patrick Söderlund, Senior Vice President of EA Games Europe, hinted at the game in a Eurogamer interview, stating he wanted to alternate developers to allow more time. When asked if Black Box was developing the next game, Söderlund replied, "You can assume that, yes." The game was originally to be revealed at E3 2011, but a listing appeared on UK retailer ShopTo on April 28, 2011. EA released a teaser trailer the next day and confirmed details. Frank Gibeau, EA Games Label president, said The Run would offer "an edgier experience" than previous entries. The lead development platform was the PlayStation 3, and that version includes seven exclusive cars: the Bugatti Veyron Super Sport, Hennessey Venom GT, Lexus LFA, Gumpert Apollo Sports, Lamborghini Countach 5000QV, Koenigsegg Agera R, and Porsche Carrera GT.
Marketing and release
Need for Speed: The Run was heavily marketed through Internet and TV trailers, including a TV advertisement directed by Michael Bay featuring explosions, car crashes, supercars, and police vehicles. A Limited Edition was available via pre-order, offering exclusive packaging, three exclusive cars (Lamborghini Aventador, Chevrolet Camaro ZL1, Porsche 911 Carrera S), and five exclusive challenges with bonus rewards and achievements. Three pre-order offers from retail outlets each included two bonus cars and three events inspired by Challenge Series based on previous Black Box games: Underground, Most Wanted, and Carbon. The Underground Edition included a Nissan 370Z and Nissan Skyline GT-R; the Most Wanted Edition included a BMW M3 GTS and Razor's Mustang Boss 302; the Carbon Edition included a Corvette Z06 and Darius' Audi R8 V10. Pre-ordering through Origin provided a free PC digital download of one of five past Need for Speed titles (Hot Pursuit, Shift 2: Unleashed, Shift, Undercover, Prostreet) and the Carbon Challenge Series, available until November 14, 2011. After that date, Origin buyers received a discount on seven EA racing titles until December 31.
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