Need for Speed: Shift 2

Shift 2 claims to redefine the racing simulator genre by delivering authentic and true-to-life dynamic crash physics, intricately detailed real-world cars, drivers and tracks. During their careers, virtual racers partake in a variety of motorsports — like drifting, muscle car racing, retro car racing, Endurance races and circuit competition (i.e. FIA GT3 European Championship) — to hone their driving skills in hopes of becoming the FIA GT1 world champion.

In the career mode, Vaughn Gittin Jr., a Formula D Champion, guides the player through his career, customizing the car, Autolog, teaching the player how to drift (as well as becoming the rival on that branch), so the player would head on to the FIA GT3 and the Works series. Then, he begins to move on to the FIA GT1 World Championship. Gittin also will be the rival in the Muscle series. The career mode also features the Formula D driver Darren McNamara in Retro series, Chris Rado in Time Attack and Drag Racing (DLC) series, Eric and Marc Kozeluh in Standing Mile (DLC) series, Mad Mike Whiddett in the Works series, Patrick Söderlund in the FIA GT3 series, Tommy Milner in the endurance series, Matt Powers in the Legends (DLC) series, and Jamie Campbell-Walter in the FIA GT1 series. These racers even wager their own cars to the player as prize cars, should the player win their respective championships.

In early July 2010 it was rumored that a sequel for Shift was in development, called "Need for Speed: Shift 2" and to be developed by Slightly Mad Studios. In February 2010, EA said another Need for Speed game will be released at some point during its fourth quarter (January 1 through March 31, 2011). The rumors started when Chris McClure, who left Slightly Mad Studios for CCP, updated his profile on professional networking site Linkedin to include the work he had been doing prior to his departure. His CV read: "Mostly worked on new open world technology but also worked on Need For Speed Shift 2."

e. Q1 2011 in calendar year) for consoles and PC.

Shift 2: Unleashed was met with generally positive reviews. Aggregating review website Metacritic gave the PC version 84/100, the Xbox 360 version 82/100, the PlayStation 3 version 81/100.

GameTrailers rated the game an 8.9/10, saying how it "Refines the strengths of the first game and extends their value indefinitely through the competitive environment of autolog. There aren't any breakthrough new features here, but this is a racer that will constantly push you to improve and make you sweat under the pressure."