Need for Speed goes multiplatform

Electronic Arts announced this morning that its upcoming PlayStation 2 driving game Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is also in development for the GameCube, Xbox, and PC.

Like the original Hot Pursuit, the upcoming sequel will toss police cars into the race setting, forcing players to outrun the law while trying to win a race. In addition to the standard quick race, single challenge, championship, and hot pursuit modes, the game will also introduce a new mode called top cop. The new mode puts the player in the role of a highway patrolman and offers 30 events. The game will feature more than 20 tracks.

More than 20 exotic cars will be in the game. The list of confirmed cars is short at the moment, but the game will contain the Ferrari 360 Spider, the Lamborghini Murcielago, and the Porsche Carrera GT. While the PC version of the game will feature online play, the console versions of the game will contain a two-player split-screen mode.

The PlayStation 2 version of the game is being developed in Canada at Black Box. The other versions of the game are being handled by EA's Seattle studios. Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2 is scheduled to ship at the end of the summer. While no official date has been announced, online retailers are currently showing the PS2 version as an early September release.

For exclusive screens and video from the PlayStation 2 version of the game, click over to its gamespace using the links to the right.