EA feels Need for Speed again with Carbon

The Need for Speed franchise has come a long way since debuting on the ill-fated 3D0 system more than a decade ago, and it's about to go a little further. The Electronic Arts-published series' next installment, Need for Speed Carbon, will see the in-game action spill out of the sprawling city streets and into the world of canyon racing.

At the game's outset, players will race as part of a crew "in an all-out war for the city, risking everything to take over your rivals' neighborhoods one block at a time." Police presence eventually forces the war out of the city proper, and the races continue on the treacherous roads of Carbon Canyon. EA is emphasizing customization options in Carbon, giving players the ability to set the configurations of their rides, as well as those of their crews.

While Carbon was first mentioned publicly in Sony's pre-Electronic Entertainment Expo conference this year, it hadn't been officially acknowledged by Electronic Arts until today. Need for Speed Carbon will be released this November on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, Wii, PlayStation 2, Xbox, GameCube, DS, Game Boy Advance, PSP, PC, and mobile phones.