Need for Speed World splits its world and introduces so-called Shards with the next patch. Shards are essentially new servers - each driver is assigned to a specific Shard and can't be used on another Shard.
At the beginning there will be only one Shard called "APEX", where all existing drivers will be moved to. In the launcher you can select the Shard with the preferred region. (e.g. "Apex - NA" oder "Apex - EU")
What does the "Select Shard" option do?
It allows players to switch between different servers (Shards) and Regions. These Shards may contain multiple Regions and are displayed in a (Shard) – (Region) format. For example, after tomorrow's patch the options will be "Apex - NA" and "Apex - EU".
Please note that existing Players (accounts created prior to multiple shard support) will be located on the APEX shard. Players created after multiple shard support will be located on the Shard they were created on.
What is multiple shard support?
It's when there will be more than one Shard deployed for NFS World. After tomorrow's patch there will only be the "Apex" but the team is planning on deploying more shards in the coming weeks / months.
Will this affect my login information at all?
Your Login information remains the same for all Shards/Regions.
If my account is on the Apex shard will I be able to play on the new shards when they are deployed?
Players will be able to log into new shards and will need to create a new Driver to play. Drivers only exist on a specific shard; Drivers created before multiple shard support will be on the Apex shard.
What about my Friends List?
Your Friends List will also specific to each Shard. Only Drivers located on the same Shard can be added.
What about my Performance / Visual parts, Skill Mods and in-game cash?
Your Drivers’ inventories will also be specific to a shard. For example, if your Driver is on the Apex shard, your parts will only exist on the Apex shard. If you log onto a new shard you will need to create a new, unique driver.
What about my SpeedBoost & Gifts?
Any SpeedBoost balance & unclaimed gifts are available on any Shards/Regions.
Will I lose anything if I log into a different shard?
No, if you log into a new shard you'll essentially have to create a new driver for that shard.
So what do the Regions do now?
Regions determine only who is visible in Free Roam and who they are matched with for Multiplayer/Race Now events. This restriction only applies to normal matchmaking. Private Events can include players from any Region (within the same Shard).
Can I play against players on different shards?
Players cannot see/match make with players on different Shards, even when the Region selected is the same.
Need for Speed Most Wanted left quite an impression at the E3 a few weeks ago and now gets honoured with a Game Critics Award - just like Criterion's NFS Hot Pursuit vom 2010.
The Game Critics Awards an independent group of 35 leading North American media outlets, who judge the games shown at the E3 each year.
Need for Speed Most Wanted won in the category Best Racing Game and could beat among other Forza Horizon and F1 2012. Most Wanted was also nominated in the category Best Online Multiplayer Game, but this award went to Halo 4.
In an Interview with GameInformer, Criterion's Vice President Alex Ward announced, that Criterion Games will take full control over the Need for Speed Franchise! EA's original plan to let different studios develop different NFS each year, he said: ""Maybe it's been that way in the past, but that's changed this year with what we're doing… Our stamp's going to be in everything you see in Need for Speed and Burnout going forward in the future. It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it - it's definitely a Criterion gig now."
The studio wouldn't clarify, whether Crition will develop every Need for Speed title, or just oversee the series, but Ward was clear that Criterion will have control over which Need for Speed titles will come out in the future. ""I'm personally involved in how the cars drive, how the game will play out, how connected they are, and what the features are."
As of now the NFS franchise covers different areas with Shift, Most Wanted, Underground and Hot Pursuit, but although there's no definite road map, Ward expressed interest in one all-encompassing NFS title. "I think it would be amazing in the future if there was one big game that had all of these in it. That would be amazing."
This means interesting times for the NFS series, maybe even depending on Most Wanted's success - but after what we heard from the E3, this should be a topseller like Hot Pursuit in 2010...
Now it's official: as EA announced DreamWorks has acquired the feature film rights and will produce the Need for Speed Movie!
The movie will be based on the Need for Speed series, but not on an individual game. The story was developed by the brothers George and John Gatins with George writing the feature’s screenplay. EA will produce along with John Gatins and Mark Sourian and (as previously reported) Scott Waugh (Act of Valor) will be the director.
The NFS movie will be a "fast-paced, high-octane film rooted in the tradition of the great car culture films of the 70s while being extremely faithful to the spirit of the video game franchise".
Production start is slated for early next year and the movie should come out in 2014.
The Criterion Sound Crew was recently at the Bruntingthorpe Airfield in the North of England to record some sounds of a few choice cars for Need for Speed Most Wanted:
We strapped microphones to the exhaust pipes, engine bays and cooling ducts of some of the world's fastest cars to try and capture every decibel of authenticity.
Then we persuaded a couple of guys from the team to stand still while we ripped past them at 150mph+ in high-end sports cars. These guys risked life and limb to bring you the very best car sounds, and survived the day intact. We do NOT recommend you try this home!
We know Need for Speed fans love cars, but we wonder if you can guess which car was involved in this high-speed drive-by. If you scrutinize the video, there are some big clues.
The eagle-eyed among you will recognize the distinctive colors of this car's famous livery despite our best attempts to mask them.
NFS World: 1,200 SpeedBoost in Countdown to Summer
Wednesday, 20.06.2012
At the last day of EA's Play4Free Countdown to Summer you can get a Play4Free Currency Pack, which means you receive 1,200 SpeedBoost for free in Need for Speed World!
The code is only valid for today and apart from the 1,200 SpeedBoost you'll get 3,000 Play4Free Funds for Command & Conquer: Tiberium Alliances, Battlefield Heroes, Lord of Ultima and Battlefield Play4Free, as well as 60 Gems for Warhammer: Wrath of Heroes.
With a low center of gravity, this mid engine roadster is supremely agile, powerful, and fun to drive.
The car is only available today, so be quick and grab the code at the Countdown to Summer website (or use this one "EN7Y-CGJD-AGVD-PHVF" directly at the official Need for Speed World website):
EA is challenging the Need for Speed World Community with the new Team Escape Community Challenge! If we can complete 700,000 Team Escape Events between Friday, June 15 and Monday, June 18, EA will release a universal code for a cool prize that all NFS World players will receive!
Details of the Team Escape Challenge:
Start - End of the challenge: June 15th, 9:00am PDT until June 17th, 11:50pm PDT
Prize: If the community completes more than 700,000 Team Escape events, they'll release a universal code that will hook all NFS World players up with a cool prize.
How do I participate / enter? Just play as many Team Escape Events in NFS World as you can during the challenge period!
You can find more information on the official NFS World website:
Summer is coming and EA celebrates this with a Play 4 Free Giveaway Countdown! Starting today they're giving away each day one in-game item for a Play4Free title!
You have to be quick, because each item will only be available for 24 hours. You can expect to see items for Need for Speed World, Battlefield Heroes, Battlefield Play4Free, Wrath of Heroes, Lord of Ultima and Command and Conquer Tiberium Alliances!
You can find the giveaways in the special Play 4 Free Countdown to Summer Website. Need for Speed fans can mark their calendars for 18th and 20th June. ;)
SUVs in Need for Speed World! Two new SUVs from Battlefield Heroes found their way in NFS World: the National and Royal Army SUVs!
The National Army model sports a grey and black paint scheme, much like the tanks and planes in Battlefield Heroes. Flood lights, a roof mounted rocket launcher, reinforced windows and bullet holes on the body.
The Royals SUV has a camouflage paint scheme, a heavy machine gun on the top, reinforced bumpers, bull bars and windows, as well as flood lights and neon with a corresponding license plate.
You can find both SUVs at the car dealer in Need for Speed World!
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Need for Speed World splits its world and introduces so-called Shards with the next patch. Shards are essentially new servers - each driver is assigned to a specific Shard and can't be used on another Shard.
Need for Speed Most Wanted left quite an impression at the E3 a few weeks ago and now gets honoured with a Game Critics Award - just like Criterion's 
In an Interview with GameInformer, Criterion's Vice President Alex Ward announced, that Criterion Games will take full control over the Need for Speed Franchise! EA's original plan to let different studios develop different NFS each year, he said: ""Maybe it's been that way in the past, but that's changed this year with what we're doing… Our stamp's going to be in everything you see in Need for Speed and Burnout going forward in the future. It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it - it's definitely a Criterion gig now."
