Need for Speed Unbound: How to play with Friends

High octane races await (Image via Electronic Arts)
High octane races await (Image via Electronic Arts)

Need for Speed Unbound is the latest entry in the iconic Need for Speed franchise, featuring the series' return to its underground street racing roots. To reflect this, developers Criterion Games have updated their in-game mechanics and graphics. The title features graffiti artwork inspired by neon lights and cartoon cel-shaded visuals, grafting Need for Speed Unbound with a bold new look.

Players can play solo and multiplayer modes, racing across Lakeshore City while participating in various challenges and trials.

This guide will detail the multiplayer aspect of the latest NFS game.


How to invite friends to play with in Need for Speed Unbound

To race through the city streets with your friends, you must follow these simple steps:

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  • Launch Need for Speed Unbound from your favorite console or PC game launcher.
  • Enter the Lobby when the game finishes loading.
  • Access the Player Search Area from within the Lobby.
  • Find the search bar in this menu and click on it.
  • Enter the friend’s EA ID into the field to send them a request after you click on Add as EA Friend.
  • Once the requested player accepts the invitation, you can add each other as friends.
  • The platform the friend is on will be displayed as an icon beside their name.
  • Now, simply head over to the multiplayer mode, Lakeshore Online, and invite your friends to join you as you race together on the streets of Lakeshore City.

How to add friends from other platforms in Need for Speed Unbound

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Need for Speed Unbound features cross-play among its released platforms: PC, PlayStation 5, and Xbox Series X/S. Gamers can invite their friends to join races irrespective of the platform they are playing on. However, cross-play must first be enabled in the in-game settings to access this feature. The steps for doing so are listed below:

  • Launch the game and wait for it to load.
  • After the title finishes loading, open up the Settings menu.
  • Head to the Accessibility sub-menu from here.
  • Enter the Game section under this menu.
  • Scroll down and enable or disable cross-play at your leisure by toggling the slider.
  • This option can only be toggled in the main menu. Any usage outside of this will require players to quit their current session.
  • Make sure you are already EA Friends before inviting others to a race, or else they will not be able to join.

What is Need for Speed Unbound?

The twenty-fifth title in the iconic, long-running Need for Speed series, Need for Speed Unbound, involves gamers proving their mettle in The Grand, Lakeshore City’s ultimate street racing competition. Players must race across four weeks of nonstop challenges and earn enough bank by decimating through the competition, all the while avoiding the relentless pursuit of the police.

The game features a unique look to the Need for Speed series and a mesmerizing soundtrack by A$AP Rocky and AWGE, with separate solo and multiplayer campaigns.

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The title was developed by Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts and is scheduled for a worldwide official global release on December 2, 2022. Players with access to the Palace Edition can already enjoy driving through the streets of Lakeshore City.

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