Racing · March 29, 2011

Shift 2 Unleashed (2011)

group100k–1M ownersrecommend2.3k recommendations
The critically acclaimed SHIFT franchise returns to the track with SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED. The most immersive racing video game experience to date brings the true driver’s experience to life with all the intensity and exhilaration of being behind the wheel and competing in the Driver’s Battle. SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED delivers all the violence, energy and excitement of race day in a groundbreaking authentic racing experience. Key Features: Next Level of Immersion - Experience visceral first-person racing like never before. The all-new helmet cam recreates realistic driver head movements that deliver an unparalleled sensation of speed: lean and tilt into the apex of corners, feel the impact of every scrape, bump, and crash, experience true in-cockpit vibrations, and more. Change the Game with Autolog - Autolog is a revolutionary system that connects friends and changes the gameplay experience by allowing you to share virtually every aspect of your racing career. Compare Driver Profiles and career status, share and comment on pictures and videos, send challenges, and pull news feeds directly from and . Autolog recommendations amp up the social competition of real-world racing by delivering challenges based on friend activity, creating a dynamic, competitive, fun new way to play both online and offline. True Realistic Racing - SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED redefines the racing simulator genre by bringing the atmosphere of race day to life.. Featuring the FIA GT1 World Championship and GT3 European Championship plus real-world drivers, tracks, and cars, this is truly tomorrow’s sim for today’s adrenaline-fueled racer. Amazing Career Depth and Variety - Earn unlocks and participate in multiple racing disciplines on the way to becoming the FIA GT1 World Champion. Featuring everything from new Endurance races to muscle and retro cars, SHIFT 2 UNLEASHED gives you the flexibility to choose the path that fits your individual racing style. Customize for Show or Customize to Win! - Unleash your creativity to turn some of the world’s most elite high-performance vehicles into fire-breathing weapons. Customize the engine, the body, the suspension, and much, much more, then put your ultimate racing machine to the test in any mode. Whether your goal is to race a 1000-horsepower Econobox or a tricked-out GTR, you have nearly limitless options to reign supreme on the track where every second counts. Photo Real Cars and Tracks – Over 120 licensed cars are available including the Nissan GT-R GT1, McLaren MP4-12C, and GUMPERT Apollo. There is also over 35 real-world locations like Bathurst, Spa de Francochamps and Suzuka as well as fictional circuits like downtown London and Shanghai.

Position in Racing

MetricThis titleGenre position
Review volume2.6k Steam reviewsTop 86% in Racing
Positive rating68% positiveGenre average: 81% — this title sits in top 90%
Metacritic84/100Genre average 74 — top 12% of Racing titles
Engagement hours8 h averageTop 73% for session depth among Racing

Reception Metrics

Steam community

68%Mixed · 2.6k reviews

1.7k positive · 818 negative

Metacritic

84/100 critic aggregate

Open Metacritic page

Metacritic user score

6.1/10

Curator recommendations

2.3k

Community Tag Signals

Tag weights reflect how many Steam users voted each descriptor — larger pills = stronger consensus.

  • Racing · 176
  • Automobile Sim · 108
  • Simulation · 102
  • Driving · 65
  • Multiplayer · 45
  • Realistic · 20
  • Singleplayer · 16
  • First-Person · 8

Localization Coverage

Interface / Subtitles (7)

  • English
  • French
  • German
  • Italian
  • Polish
  • Russian
  • Spanish - Spain

Release & Availability

Release dateMar 29, 2011
DeveloperSlightly Mad Studios
PublisherElectronic Arts
Base priceFree-to-play
PlatformsWindows
Estimated owners100k–1M
External linksOfficial site · Metacritic page

Peer Racing titles

Comparable titles in the same genre and review-volume band — ranked by Steam positive percentage.

Engagement Profile

All-time avg

8h

short (5–15 hours)

Median

4h

Typical completion time

Features & Capabilities

Multiplayer

  • Multi-player

Input & Comfort

  • Partial Controller Support

Other

  • Single-player
  • Family Sharing