Gamasutra Interview: Need For Speed Tonal Shift Drives 100 Million Unit Franchise Milestone

Electronic Arts' Need For Speed has passed 100 million units across the racing franchise, which has seen some 12 iterations in 16 years.

"The main thrust of the sales has actually come in the last six years, where we've averaged over 12 million units per year," says franchise VP of global marketing Keith Munro, who most recently worked on latest title Need For Speed Shift.

Munro began with the franchise as product manager in 2001 on Need For Speed: Hot Pursuit 2, and since that time, he's witnessed a significant evolution in the tone of the series, one he credits with the last six years' rapid uptick in sales -- 80 million of the 100 million units have been sold in that period.