For quite some time, racing titles have been led by Electronic Arts' Need For Speed franchise, which has set the benchmark in terms of gameplay and story. But, sadly, with the latest few titles the series has lost a lot of its popularity and was even rumored to be canceled altogether.

However, all these speculations were shattered when EA announced that four new titles would appear with the Need For Speed brand this year. We've already talked about NFS World Online, a free-to-play title that will be set in the fictional cities of two previous iterations, Most Wanted and Carbon, but now Need For Speed Shift takes the stage, as EA has revealed its release date.

The hardcore racing simulator, developed by Slightly Mad Studios of GT Legends and GTR 2 fame, will be hitting the store shelves in Europe on September 17 and will reach North American shores on September 22. Aimed at providing a true racing experience to players, with the most accurate in-car behavior, NFS Shift will arrive on the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation Portable and PC.

“With Need for Speed Shift, we set out to create a racing game that pushes the genre and delivers something never before seen in a Need for Speed title,” said Patrick Soderlund, senior vice president at EA Games Europe. “By focusing on the driver's experience through the first-person view, we are able to capture the high-speed intensity and gripping emotions of racing.”

It definitely seems that people will get their need for speed satisfied very early, but don't forget to save up some more money for the other titles that will be launched in the series around the same time as this one. Until then, better improve your racing skills.