`NFS' sales pass 100 million mark

Need for Speed, Electronic Arts' racing franchise, has raced past the 100 million copies mark, making it one of the top five best-selling video-game properties of all time.

Developed in 1994, Need for Speed has evolved from a game made by a dozen developers to roughly 100 designers, programmers and perfectionists who obsess over cars.

EA has cranked out 15 Need for Speed titles, but it wasn't until Need for Speed Underground came out in 2003 that sales became turbocharged.

Since then, EA has moved 60 million copies.

Over the years, the franchise has undergone a couple of remodels.

The first came with Underground, which shifted the franchise from "aspirational" Lamborghinis to street-style racers made from customised compacts and souped-up sedans.

EA developers knew they had street cred when they noticed body shops were building actual parts based on the game's vehicles.

The brand got its second makeover this year.

"We noticed we had fans who liked an authentic simulation experience," said Keith Munro, EA's vice-president for global marketing.

"But we also had others who wanted an over-the-top arcade style with hyperbolised physics."

The goal: Develop three titles to address different audiences.

The first, Need for Speed: Shift, came out in September, catering for players who wanted an authentic, visceral racing simulation.

This month, Need for Speed: Nitro will hit the street offering free-wheeling arcade play.

Developed for Nintendo's Wii console, Nitro is designed to be easy to pick up and play.

And sometime next year, EA plans to open Need for Speed: World Online, a free-to-play game with Hollywood-style chase sequences.

There is fierce competition among racing games - Gran Turismo, Project Gotham Racing and Forza Motorsport are formidable franchises.

EA is hoping its three-pronged strategy will help drive sales of Need for Speed's next 100 million copies.