“Need for Speed: Most Wanted for Windows” can mean two different games: the original released in 2005 or Criterion’s separate 2012 game. EA’s current Windows listing is for the 2012 release, so check the year before buying, checking requirements, or looking for online play.
Which Windows game does EA currently list?
EA’s current Windows product listing describes the Criterion-developed Need for Speed: Most Wanted, released October 30, 2012. It is an open-world driving game built around car switching, jumps, shortcuts, rival racers, police pursuits, and nitrous. EA’s description says, “The open-world action in Need for Speed Most Wanted gives you the freedom to drive your way.” EA’s product page
| # | Preview | Product | Price | |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 |
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Need for Speed Most Wanted - PC | $89.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 2 |
![Need for Speed Most Wanted - Standard Edition - Origin PC [Online Game Code]](https://m.media-amazon.com/images/I/51kgBwdR0PL._SL160_.jpg)
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Need for Speed Most Wanted - Standard Edition - Origin PC [Online Game Code] | $19.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 3 |
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Need for Speed Most Wanted PC | $72.99 | Buy on Amazon |
| 4 |
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Need for Speed: Most Wanted | $54.25 | Buy on Amazon |
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The 2005 Windows game is a separate release with the same title. References to requirements, stores, add-ons, and features below concern the 2012 game unless explicitly labeled otherwise.
Can a Windows PC run the 2012 game?
EA publishes the following legacy specifications for the 2012 PC game. They are the publisher’s listed requirements, not a guarantee that the game will install or work correctly on present-day Windows versions or hardware. EA’s Windows listing
#1 Best Overall
- Electronic Arts 15207 Need for Speed Most Wanted PC
| Specification | Minimum | Recommended |
|---|---|---|
| Operating system | Windows Vista Service Pack 2 (32-bit) | Windows 7 Service Pack 1 (64-bit) |
| Processor | 2 GHz dual-core CPU | Quad-core CPU |
| Memory | 2 GB | 4 GB |
| Storage | 20 GB | 20 GB |
| Graphics | DirectX 10.1-compatible AMD 512 MB card (Radeon 3870 or higher performance from the listed Radeon families), or DirectX 10-compatible NVIDIA 512 MB card (GeForce 8800 GT or higher performance from the listed GeForce families) | DirectX 11 graphics with 1 GB memory (GeForce GTX 560 or Radeon 6950) |
| Sound | DirectX-compatible sound | DirectX-compatible sound |
EA does not establish in this listing how the game behaves on newer Windows releases. A PC meeting the listed figures should therefore be treated as meeting the published legacy specification—not as proof of current compatibility.
Where can you buy the 2012 Windows game?
EA lists the 2012 base game for PC through the EA app, Steam, and Epic Games as a digital license. Prices and availability can change; check the relevant store listing before purchase. EA’s product page
Looking for a PC DVD?
A 2012 PC DVD-ROM edition is documented in an EA-copyrighted product document. This establishes that a physical edition existed, but not that it is currently in stock at any marketplace or that a particular seller is reliable. EA-copyrighted PC DVD-ROM product document
What about add-ons and online play?
EA lists a Multiplayer Booster Pack for the 2012 game. It requires the base game and offers early access in multiplayer to upgraded versions of named cars; it is downloadable content, not a physical-edition recommendation. EA notes that online features may be retired after notice, so availability should not be assumed to continue indefinitely. EA’s product page
Rank #3
For the 2005 game, an EA forum answer says its online lobby shut down on August 1, 2011. That date is reported in a community forum response, rather than a primary service notice retrieved here. EA forum answer about the 2005 lobby
Independent reader supportYour contribution helps us test, update, and keep practical guides available for everyone.Will a gamepad or steering wheel work?
A Windows gamepad may suit players who prefer analog steering, but no reliable model-specific compatibility confirmation is established here. The same applies to named steering wheels, including the Logitech Driving Force GT: do not assume compatibility from the game’s Windows listing alone. Confirm support for the exact game edition and your Windows setup before buying an accessory.
Quick Recap
Rank #4
- Open World Action - Lose the cops - your way. Hit jumps and shortcuts, lay low, or shake the cops in surroundings that play to your car's unique strengths. Freedom is everything. Drive anywhere with your friends, discover hidden gameplay or utilize your knowledge of the city to beat them in a never-ending supply of challenges.
- Non-Stop Multiplayer - Pick a car, hook up with friends and jump into a non-stop playlist of tight, competitive events. No lobby screens means the action never stops. Score big, rank up and earn endless rewards and upgrades. Keep the fierce rivalries going between events with endless opportunities to race, battle and explore in a huge open world.
- Beat Your Friends - Autolog 2 ratchets up the intense competition with personalized race recommendations and feeds broadcasting all of your most newsworthy scores, speeds and times to your friends. Earn Need for Speed points at all times on any system as you try to outdrive your friends and become the Most Wanted.
- Racing Without Rules - It’s survival of the fastest as "Need for Speed Most Wanted" fuses the franchise’s, authentic "real car" feel with the intense speed and aggression of Burnout. Power down, slide out, and battle your way past cops and rivals using pure driving skill, and heavy doses of nitrous.
Product prices and availability are accurate as of the date/time indicated and are subject to change. Any price and availability information displayed on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply.
