2004
Why Need for Speed Underground 2 is still played
It was the first open-world Need for Speed. The release day and the sales total are still written two ways in public sources.
Who made it and for which machines
Wikipedia and the NFS wiki both credit EA Black Box as the developer and Electronic Arts as the publisher. It is the direct sequel to Underground. Wikipedia counts it as the eighth main installment. The NFS wiki says ninth. I am leaving that numbering split on the page.
The 2004 releases named across those pages are Windows, PlayStation 2, Xbox and GameCube. Game Boy Advance, Nintendo DS and mobile versions followed. I am not folding the handheld dates into the console day.
Two release calendars
PCGamingWiki dates the North American Windows release to 9 November 2004. Wikipedia dates North America to 15 November 2004, Australia to 16 November 2004, Europe to 19 November 2004 and Japan to 22 December 2004. I will not pick a winner.
| Reading | Date | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Windows, North America (PCGamingWiki) | 9 Nov 2004 | 1 source |
| North America (Wikipedia) | 15 Nov 2004 | 1 source |
| Australia (Wikipedia) | 16 Nov 2004 | 1 source |
| Europe (Wikipedia) | 19 Nov 2004 | 1 source |
| Japan (Wikipedia) | 22 Dec 2004 | 1 source |
What reviewers and sales pages say
The game is described as the first open-world Need for Speed. Bayview mixes cues from San Francisco and Los Angeles. Customization covers body kits, vinyls, audio, hydraulics, neon and a dyno.
Wikipedia cites Metacritic at 82 for PC, PlayStation 2 and Xbox, and 77 for GameCube. EA reported 8.4 million copies by the end of 2004. A later Wikipedia total is about 11 million. I am printing both sales figures. Averaging them would invent a third number.
The soundtrack nomination and the still-active mod and browser projects are why the 2004 game still has pages in 2026. There is no EA remaster on the catalogs checked the same day.
FAQ
When did Underground 2 come out?
Public pages say 9 November 2004 or 15 November 2004 for North America. Both stay on this page.
How many copies sold?
EA said 8.4 million by the end of 2004. Wikipedia also cites about 11 million later. They are not the same claim.
Is there a remaster?
No official remaster was listed on 3 Nov 2026. See the remaster page.
Sources
- Wikipedia: Need for Speed: Underground 2 — checked 2026-11-03
- PCGamingWiki: Need for Speed Underground 2 — checked 2026-11-03
- NFS Fandom: Need for Speed Underground 2 — checked 2026-11-03