Need for Speed: Carbon

Need for Speed: Carbon is a 2006 racing video game and the tenth installment in the Need for Speed series. Developed by EA Black Box, Rovio Mobile and published by Electronic Arts, it was released on October 31, 2006, for the PlayStation 2, Xbox, Xbox 360, GameCube, Windows, and Mac OS X, on November 17, 2006 as a launch title for the PlayStation 3, and November 19, 2006 as a launch title for the Wii and in 2008 for arcade cabinets. A portable version, Need for Speed: Carbon – Own the City, was released for the PlayStation Portable, Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and Zeebo. While it featured similar gameplay to the console versions, the portable versions included new or modified gameplay elements, a different setting and storyline, and a different selection of teammates. Own the City is the final installment in the series to be released for Game Boy Advance. Carbon's storyline takes place after the events of Need for Speed: Most Wanted, and sees players conducting illegal street races within the fictional city of Palmont City. The story focuses on the player's character taking control of the city from various street-racing gangs. While the gameplay is similar to its predecessor, Carbon introduced a number of new features, including crews and racing wingmen, Touge-styled racing events, and greater customization options. Upon the release of Carbon, the game received positive reviews from critics, though it faced some criticism over elements of its gameplay mechanics, including a lack of emphasis on police chases compared to its predecessor. A special Collector's Edition version was also released for PlayStation 2, Windows and Xbox 360. It included additional content; such as new cars, new customization items and new events for two of its game modes. As of 2021, download versions of the game are no longer available for purchase in any online stores, and online play was shut down on September 1. The game was succeeded by Need for Speed: ProStreet in 2007.

Source: Wikipedia CC BY-SA 4.0 — Need for Speed: Carbon · retrieved October 19, 2026

Developer

EA Vancouver

Publisher

Electronic Arts

First release

October 30, 2006

Series

Need for Speed

Cover

Official thumbnail

Record ID

Q219795