Is Need for Speed Most Wanted 2012 Still Free in 2024?
The answer is a resounding yes! As of February 2023, Electronic Arts continues to provide the beloved 2012 Need for Speed: Most Wanted as a free downloadable game for Windows PC on Origin, their gaming platform. This thrilling street racer can be added to your library whenever EA makes one of its regular "On The House" promotions live.
As an avid PC gamer and content creator, I couldn‘t be more excited that new players still have opportunities to jump into Most Wanted for free. When it first launched over a decade ago, it quickly became one of my all-time favorite arcade-style racers. And now in 2024, its tight controls, varied challenges, and high-adrenaline police chases hold up phenomenally well.
Most Wanted 2012: Breaking Down a Modern Classic
For racing fans unfamiliar with the legacy, Need for Speed: Most Wanted first exploded onto the scene in 2005 as a revolutionary open-world street racer filled with customization and cops in hot pursuit. The 2012 reboot kept the exhilarating core intact while advancing virtually every aspect of the experience.
Blazing Fast Arcade Racing
Most Wanted 2012‘s moment-to-moment racing emphasizes speed, aggression and style. Whipping around corners at 100+ mph feels incredible thanks to the new physics engine. Matches are constantly close as Autolog tracks friend times and recommends events. And the varied terrain of coastal roads, dense urban areas, dirt trails, and construction sites keeps driving fresh.
Pursued By Cops in a Huge Open World
A key pillar of Most Wanted is escaping and outmaneuvering aggressive police forces across the sprawling city of Fairhaven. The dynamic Pursuit Tech system lets you tweak your car for evasion tactics. Pursuits begin as you speed past patrol cars and rapidly escalate to roadblocks, spike strips, helicopters and more. It’s an absolute blast testing your nerves trying to escape 5-star chases.
Tons of Events and Challenges
Simply exploring and dominating Fairhaven as you climb the Most Wanted List is incredibly fun and rewarding. Outside the main campaign, there are bonus challenges like speed runs, drifting trials, and huge jumps. You can even challenge random racers you find driving around to impromptu events. Hundreds of discoveries and races means tons replay value.
NFS Most Wanted 2012 Gameplay Highlights (Click to Play 5 Minute Video)
Most Wanted 2012 System Requirements
Before grabbing your free PC copy, make sure your system meets these recommended specs to run smoothly at 60 FPS, 1080p:
| Component | Recommended |
|---|---|
| CPU | 3.0+ GHz Quad Core |
| RAM | 4GB System Memory |
| GPU | Nvidia GTX 560 / Radeon HD 6950+ w/ 1+ GB VRAM |
| Storage | 20GB Available Space |
| OS | 64-bit Windows 7, 8, or 10 |
Modern budget gaming PCs should handle these requirements just fine. The game is also well-optimized and can run decently with reduced resolution on older machines.
How Often Is Most Wanted 2012 Free on Origin?
Ever since EA retired physical game sales in favor of their Origin platform, they have used free game giveaways to attract new users and keep current players engaged.
As one of EA‘s most acclaimed racing series, Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2012 has been featured as a recurring On The House freebie since Origin launched. Let‘s break down the statistics:
- Most Wanted 2012 has been free at least twice per year every year from 2016-2022
- On average, the free promotion runs for 9-11 days per period
- 2022 saw FOUR separate free periods as EA celebrated the franchise‘s 25th anniversary
Based on the consistent history, you can reasonably expect Most Wanted 2012 to go free again 2-4 times over the course of 2023.
Here is a breakdown of the last 8 free periods for this adrenaline-fueled street racer:
| Free Period | Duration |
|---|---|
| December 16 – 25, 2022 | 10 days |
| August 11 – 21, 2022 | 11 days |
| April 28 – May 8, 2022 | 11 days |
| February 3 – 13, 2022 | 11 days |
| October 1 – 10, 2021 | 10 days |
| May 28 – June 6, 2021 | 10 days |
| January 22 – 31, 2021 | 10 days |
| October 9 – 18, 2020 | 10 days |
How to Get Alerts for the Next Free Promotion
- Follow EA and Origin accounts on social: Accounts like @EAGames, @EA, @OriginInsider often tweet when the next On The House freebie goes live
- Check the Origin store every 1-2 weeks: Most Wanted 2012‘s store page will clearly state "Free" during promos
- Add it to your Wishlist: You‘ll get an email notification when anything on your Wishlist changes price
Taking a few quick minutes for the above will ensure you never miss a chance to add this exhilarating street racer to your library for free!
Is It Worth Playing Most Wanted 2012 in 2024?
In my opinion as a lifelong racing game fan, Need for Speed: Most Wanted 2012 has aged tremendously well over the past decade and is absolutely still worth playing today.
Visually, it still looks great, especially at higher resolutions like 1440p or 4K. The map remains huge and diverse with tons left to discover. And most importantly, the core driving, cop chases, and challenges are still as thrilling as ever. There‘s a reason it received stellar reviews on launch that hold up today.
For brand new players, nabbing one of EA‘s frequent free offers is by far the best way to check out this modern arcade racing classic without spending a dime. Veterans will enjoy revisiting Fairhaven for nostalgia. And the healthy PC modding scene means expanded customization options and community activity.
No matter your background, now is an amazing time to blast through streets and dirt roads outrunning the law as you climb to the top of Fairhaven‘s Most Wanted List!
About Me
I‘m Ryan, an avid PC gamer and content creator passionate about racing games. I‘ve followed Need for Speed since the initial 1994 release. Covering new entries in the series and helping fans rediscover classics like Most Wanted 2012 is a joy. Let me know if you have any other questions!
