Need for Speed: Shift

Need for Speed: Shift
Subseries of Need for Speed
Need for Speed: Shift	2009
Shift 2 Unleashed	2011

Need for Speed: Shift is a singleplayer and multiplayer racing game developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts. It is the thirteenth entry in the Need for Speed series and the first entry in the Need for Speed: Shift duology.

Just like ProStreet, the game focuses on closed-circuit racing. Its car handling model is more realistically than previous titles. There is no story mode in the game.

It was released in North America on September 15, 2009, followed by Europe on September 18, 2009.

General information

Steam Community Discussions

Availability

Source	DRM	Notes	Keys	OS
Retail		SecuROM 7 DRM
Games for Windows Marketplace (unavailable)		^[1]
Origin (unavailable)		SecuROM PA DRM, unknown machine limit. A De-Authorization Tool is available.
Steam (unavailable)

This game is no longer available digitally.

Steam's Origin key is stored in HKEY_LOCAL_MACHINE\SOFTWARE\Wow6432Node\Electronic Arts\Electronic Arts\Need for Speed Shift\ergc

Demo/free trial

A free demo version is available from Patches-Scrolls

Monetization

No DLCs were made available for the PC version. DLC content for the console versions can still be accessed by modding the game; see How to get DLC cars and tracks.

Essential improvements

Patches

Latest version is 1.0.2.
Direct link for Europe version and North America version.

Mirror: Patch 1.1 and 1.2 on Patches-scrolls.de and Patch 1.2 for EU, NA and Traditional Chinese on PCGW.

Community overhaul

Requires patch 1.0.2.

Users of NoGripRacing forums, made a community patch that fixes many of the bugs left in the game and improves driving experience. Remember to follow carefully the installation guide of Overhaul Mod.

Skip intro videos

Delete/rename video files^{[citation needed]}
Go to `<path-to-game>\Movies`. Delete or rename `Attract.bik` and `Franchise_Ident.bik`.

Game data

Configuration file(s) location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\NFS SHIFT\
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/24870/pfx/^{[Note 1]}

Save game data location

System	Location
Windows	%USERPROFILE%\Documents\NFS SHIFT\<user-id>
Steam Play (Linux)	<SteamLibrary-folder>/steamapps/compatdata/24870/pfx/^{[Note 1]}

Save game cloud syncing

System	Native	Notes
Origin
OneDrive		Requires enabling backup of the Documents* folder in OneDrive on all computers.*
Steam Cloud

Video

Graphics settings

Graphics feature	State	WSGF	Notes
Widescreen resolution
Multi-monitor
Ultra-widescreen
4K Ultra HD
Field of view (FOV)		Can be adjusted via Racer_S Camera Control utility
Windowed
Borderless fullscreen windowed		See the glossary page for potential workarounds.
Anisotropic filtering (AF)
Anti-aliasing (AA)
Vertical sync (Vsync)
60 FPS and 120+ FPS
High dynamic range display (HDR)		See the glossary page for potential alternatives.

Input

Controls settings

Adjust control settings

Keyboard and mouse	State	Notes
Remapping
Mouse acceleration
Mouse sensitivity
Mouse input in menus
Mouse Y-axis inversion
Controller
Controller support
Full controller support
Controller remapping
Controller sensitivity
Controller Y-axis inversion

Controller types

XInput-compatible controllers
Xbox button prompts		Use the UI Gamepad Icons mod.
Impulse Trigger vibration		Use X1nput^[2]

PlayStation controllers

Generic/other controllers

Additional information
Controller hotplugging
Haptic feedback
Digital movement supported
Simultaneous controller+KB/M

Audio

Audio settings

Audio feature	State	Notes
Separate volume controls
Surround sound
Subtitles
Closed captions
Mute on focus lost
Royalty free audio

Localizations

Language	UI	Audio	Sub	Notes
English
Simplified Chinese				Not approved National Press and Publication Administration China.
Traditional Chinese
French
German
Italian
Spanish
Polish
Brazilian Portuguese				Fan translation, download.
Russian

Network

Multiplayer types

Type	Players	Notes
Local play
LAN play	12	Added in a patch (see Patches).^[3]
Online play	12	Formerly only 8 players could participate, but recent patches raised the number of players to 12. Shut down on August 31, 2021.^[4]

VR support

3D modes	State	Notes
vorpX		G3D User created game profile, see vorpx forum profile introduction.

Issues fixed

Microstuttering on Windows 8

NFS Shift might experience fps stuttering when running on Windows 8.^{[citation needed]}

Windows compatibility mode^{[citation needed]}
Run the game in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (SP2).

Insanely slow loading on Windows 10

NFS Shift can experience extremely slow loadings when running on Windows 10.^{[citation needed]}

Windows compatibility mode^{[citation needed]}
Run the game in compatibility mode for Windows Vista (SP2). Right click on icon and click on "troubleshoot compatibility".

The game always restarts with default graphics settings

Reduce the refresh rate
Don't set the refresh rate to 144Hz or higher in the game options. 120Hz does not work either under certain conditions.^[5]

Other information

API

Technical specs	Supported	Notes
Direct3D	9.0c
Shader Model support	3.0

Executable	32-bit	64-bit	Notes
Windows

Middleware

	Middleware	Notes
Physics	PhysX
Audio	FMOD	API v4.28
Cutscenes	Bink Video	1.9n

Mods

How to get DLC cars and tracks

Install the DLC files^[6]

Install the NFS Shift 1.02 patch for your region.
Unpack the game with Shift unpacker.
Copy JSGME to the installation folder. Run the executable and allow it to create the MODS folder.
Download the DLC files (cars and tracks) and extract them in the MODS folder.
Run JSGME again and click the right arrow button to install the DLC files.
Add -loose to the NFS Shift shortcut/launch options.

If you have the old 'game_unpacker.bat' script, use the new 'shift_unpacker.bat' script. This new script will fix the issue with the invisible Team Racing Pack vehicles.

UI Gamepad Icons

Add Missing Gamepad Icons for UI
Download Gamepad Icons. Unpack "Gamepad buttons.zip" Open the preferred button icons folder (PlayStation or XBox) Replace "Global.bff" in ../Need for Speed Shift/UI/Textures with the "Global.bff" from the unpacked zip. Launch the game. It should immediately be working in the main menu.

System requirements

Windows
	Minimum	Recommended
Operating system (OS)	XP SP3	Vista SP2, 7
Processor (CPU)	Intel Core 2 Duo 1.6 GHz AMD Athlon 64 X2 3800+
System memory (RAM)	1 GB 1.5 GB (Vista, 7)	2 GB 3 GB (Vista, 7)
Hard disk drive (HDD)	6 GB
Video card (GPU)	Nvidia GeForce 7800 GT ATI Radeon X1800 XT 256 MB of VRAM DirectX 9.0c compatible Shader model 3.0 support	512 MB of VRAM

Notes

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1
Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
- File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
- Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
- The app ID (24870) may differ in some cases.
- Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
- See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.

References

↑ Welcome to Games for Windows Marketplace - last accessed on 19 August 2022
↑ X1nput 2.0 - Xbox One Controller Impulse Triggers on (almost) any PC game - last accessed on May 2023
↑ Need for Speed SHIFT PC Patch Release - LAN Play Update now available | Need for Speed
↑ Online Service Updates - last accessed on 2022-09-16
"August 31, 2021

Need for Speed Shift for PC, PlayStation Portable, PS3 and X360"
↑ NFS Shift "Settings not saving" Steam Discussions thread - last accessed on May 2023
↑ NoGripRacing forum - DLC conversion link thread

[Proton_path_note-2] 1.0 ^1.1 Notes regarding Steam Play (Linux) data:
File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.
Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.
The app ID (24870) may differ in some cases.
Treat backslashes as forward slashes.
See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.

[2] File/folder structure within this directory reflects the path(s) listed for Windows and/or Steam game data.

[3] Use Wine's registry editor to access any Windows registry paths.

[4] The app ID (24870) may differ in some cases.

[5] Treat backslashes as forward slashes.

[6] See the glossary page for details on Windows data paths.

[1] Welcome to Games for Windows Marketplace - last accessed on 19 August 2022

[3] X1nput 2.0 - Xbox One Controller Impulse Triggers on (almost) any PC game - last accessed on May 2023

[4] Need for Speed SHIFT PC Patch Release - LAN Play Update now available | Need for Speed

[5] Online Service Updates - last accessed on 2022-09-16
"August 31, 2021

Need for Speed Shift for PC, PlayStation Portable, PS3 and X360"

[6] NFS Shift "Settings not saving" Steam Discussions thread - last accessed on May 2023

[NoGripRacing_Forum-7] NoGripRacing forum - DLC conversion link thread

[1]

[Note 1]

[2]

[3]

[4]

[5]

[6]

Developers

	Slightly Mad Studios
Publishers
	Electronic Arts
Engines
	Madness Engine
Release dates
Windows	September 15, 2009
Reception
Metacritic	83
IGDB	80
Taxonomy
Monetization	One-time game purchase
Modes	Singleplayer, Multiplayer
Pacing	Real-time
Perspectives	First-person, Third-person
Controls	Direct control
Genres	Racing
Vehicles	Automobile, Track racing
Art styles	Realistic
Themes	Contemporary
Series	Need for Speed: Shift, Need for Speed