Need For Speed (series)

Need for Speed
Series typeface and logo used since the 2015 reboot.
Genres	Racing
Developers	Criterion Games (2010-13) EA Black Box (2002-11) EA Bright Light (2009) EA Canada (1994-2000) Eden Studios (1998-2000) Exient Entertainment (2006-10) Firebrand Games (2008-11) Firemonkeys Studios (2012-) Ghost Games (2013-) Piranha Games (2008) Slightly Mad Studios (2009-11)
Publishers	Electronic Arts
Platforms	List 3DO Android Game Boy Advance iOS Microsoft Windows Mobile game MS-DOS Nintendo 3DS Nintendo DS Nintendo GameCube OS X PlayStation PlayStation 2 PlayStation 3 PlayStation 4 PlayStation Portable PlayStation Vita Sega Saturn Wii Wii U Windows Mobile Windows Phone Xbox Xbox 360 Xbox One Zeebo
Platform of origin	3DO
First release	The Need for Speed August 31, 1994
Latest release	Need for Speed November 3, 2015

Need for Speed, also known by its initials NFS, is an action racing video game franchise created by Electronic Arts and currently developed by Ghost Games. The series centers around illicit street racing and in general tasks players to complete various types of races while evading the local law enforcement in police pursuits. The series released its first title, The Need for Speed in 1994. Since Need for Speed: High Stakes, the series has also integrated car body customization into gameplay.

Need for Speed has been critically well received. It is one of the most successful video game franchises of all time, selling over 150 million copies of games. Due to its strong sales, the franchise has expanded into other forms of media including a film adaptation and licensed Hot Wheels toys.

The series has been overseen and had games developed by multiple notable teams over the years including EA Black Box and Criterion Games, the creators of the Burnout franchise. In August 2013, following the downsizing of Criterion Games, it was announced that Swedish developer Ghost Games would gain control of the Need for Speed racing franchise and oversee future development of the main series. At the time, 80% of Ghost Games' work force consisted of former Criterion Games employees.

Almost all of the games in the NFS series employ the same fundamental rules and similar mechanics: the player controls a race car in a variety of races, the goal being to win the race. In the tournament/career mode, the player must win a series of races in order to unlock vehicles and tracks. Before each race, the player chooses a vehicle, and has the option of selecting either an automatic or manual transmission. All games in the series have some form of multiplayer mode allowing players to race one another via a split screen, a LAN or the Internet.