Download Need for Speed: Shift (Windows)

The game v1.02 with NoDVD has been tested on Windows 7 64-bit, Windows 8 & 8.1, Windows 10 and Windows 11, it works fine. The game supports widescreen and high resolutions up to 4K. You may experience some small troubles when you play the game on modern systems, check our Guide and Notes for details.

All versions of the game are multilingual. US (North American) version has English & French languages, European version has English, French, German, Spanish, Italian, Dutch, Polish, Russian, Czech & Hungarian languages. You can select the language on the starting screen.

Before installation - make sure that you have installed PhysX Legacy Drivers and enabled DirectPlay in your system!

Install & play guide:

• Mount the disc image. You will need the utility for mounting disc image files, like WinCDEmu, UltraISO, Alcohol 52%/Alcohol 120% or Daemon Tools Lite
• Install the game. It is recommended to install the game not in default path, but in some other, non-system folder, like C:/Games/Need for Speed Shift, so you won't have troubles with NoDVD or mods
• (Skip the installation of EA Download Manager, uncheck that box. That app is not required to play the game)
• After you installed the game - install the patch v1.02. That patch is cumulative and includes all official fixes
• Then use NoDVD for v1.02, simply copy the SHIFT.exe file from the archive and put it into game folder, agree to replace the original file
• Right-click on SHIFT.exe -> Properties -> Compatibility -> Set "Run this app in compatibility mode with Windows Vista SP2" and "Run as administrator"
• Launch the game and play. If the game doesn't work in compatibility mode with Windows Vista - try to launch it in compatibility mode with other version of Windows (Windows XP, Windows 7, etc.)

How to get DLC content in PC version:

• The game had 3 downloadable content packs with new cars, tracks and career events: Team Racing Pack, Ferrari Racing Series Pack and Exotic Racing Series Pack. Team Racing Pack adds 5 new cars: Toyota Supra Mk IV, 1967 Shelby GT500, 1967 Chevrolet Corvette Stingray, 1969 Dodge Charger R/T and 1971 Dodge Challenger R/T, and it is included in the patch v1.02 for PC version. However, two other content packs released only on consoles and weren't available for PC version. Luckily, fans made a mod with content from that DLCs, the installation instruction and files are available on PCGamingWiki or on our website

About mods:

• The modding community also made some big mods for the game: Unofficial Community Patch that fixes the bugs left in the game and improves driving experience, Pro Career Mod that changes the balance of the game to make it more realistic and harder for experienced players, and the global Overhaul Mod; you can find all of that mods here. The mods require the patch v1.02, make sure to carefully follow the steps in Installation Guide
• You can also find more mods with new cars and tracks on NFS-Cars, NFS-Planet, NFS.com.ru, NFSAddons and now closed NoGripRacing community. Here's also a big archive with probably all mods for NFS: Shift (the website is on Russian, use the translation machine)

Notes:

• If the installation doesn't start - try to launch Autorun.exe or EASetup.exe as Administrator and in Compatibility mode with old version of Windows (98, 2000 or XP)
• It is recommended to install all versions of Microsoft Visual C++ Redistributable and NET Framework for the correct work of the game. Also it is recommended to install K-Lite Codec Pack for the correct work of in-game videos
• The game works on DirectX 9, so if you're using Windows 8, 8.1, 10 or 11 - you need to enable DirectPlay: Go to Control Panel, and select 'Programs'. Select 'Turn Windows features on and off', click on 'Legacy Components' and check the box 'DirectPlay'. Select OK, once the installation is done, restart your computer
• The game is using PhysX technology and requires PhysX Legacy Drivers for the correct work. If you have installed PhysX Legacy Drivers but the game shows error about missed PhysX drivers - download physxloader.dll and put into game folder. If it didn't help - delete any installed PhysX drivers from your system and install PhysX Redistributable from the disc or PhysX v9.09.0720 or v9.10.0513, sometimes the game works better with old versions of PhysX drivers
• The game was protected with SecuROM DRM which doesn't work on modern systems, use NoDVD to "break" the DRM protection and play without the disc. If you see the error that there's not enough space on the hard drive when you copy NoCD files - re-install the game in non-system folder, like D:/Games/Need for Speed Shift, Windows Protection may block copying of files to system folders (like C:/Program Files or C:/Windows)
• NoDVD for European version v1.0 showed 16 generic warnings, NoDVD for US & Taiwanese versions v1.02 showed over 40 generic warnings. All warnings are generic but use them at your own risk. Better try to use NoDVD for European version v1.02, it showed 0 warnings and should work with other releases too
• For users of Windows 8 and Windows 10: if you have microstuttering/lags or the game loads too long - run the game in Compatibility mode with Windows Vista SP2. Also, try to run it with recommended settings in "Troubleshoot compatibility" (right-click on desktop shortcut or exe-file -> Troubleshoot compatibility)
• If the game doesn't run or you see only the black screen after the start: add SHIFT.exe in the game folder to the list of DEP (Data Execution Prevention) exceptions, here's the guide with pictures how to add any app to DEP exceptions list. Also, make sure that you enabled DirectPlay and installed PhysX drivers! If the problem still occurs, additionally install DirectX End-User Runtimes June 2010 and PhysX drivers from the disc, deleting all other PhysX drivers, that may help
• If the game doesn't save the graphics settings: if the game always restarts with default graphics settings - that usually happens if you have a display with high refresh rate. Don't set the refresh rate to 144Hz or higher in the game options, 120Hz does not work either under certain conditions. Also, it is recommended to enable Vertical sync (Vsync), and better don't set the refresh rate in game options to higher than 120 Hz. If the problem still occurs, set the refresh rate in game options even lower, to 75 Hz or 60 Hz. If it didn't help - lower the refresh rate in the settings of your display
• If the game doesn't save the progress: make sure that the installation path has ONLY the English letters. If needed, re-install the game, better in non-system folder like C:/Games/Need for Speed Shift. Also, create a new profile in game with only numbers in it, like 12345. If it didn't work - check your system username, if it has any non-English symbols - create a new user profile in your system with only English letters in the username, and play the game from that new user profile
• The game has support of all kind of high resolutions, including 4K Ultra HD, ultrawide displays and multi-monitor setups. In ultrawide resolution, the menu elements might be stretched but in-game graphics and HUD look correct. Check WSGF page for example screenshots how the game looks in different screen resolutions
• If you want to change FOV (Field of View) in the game, use Racer_S Camera Control utility
• There's a rare bug in game that can happen when the car reaches the speed of 215 km/h or higher - the game may start lagging or even freeze. The solution is to edit the config-file: go to Documens/NFS Shift folder, open graphicsconfig.xml in Notepad and set trackdetaillevel="0" (there's two lines with trackdetaillevel, edit only the one that is in <data class>). That bug is random and happens only on some systems, looks like it mostly occurs in Steam version, check this thread for more details
• It seems that Taiwanese (Traditional Chinese) version had some specific variant of SecuROM DRM that may work or not work with NoDVDs. On some systems it can be launched with NoDVD or SecuROM emulator but on the others it doesn't work at all. Taiwanese version has 2 languages: Traditional Chinese and English; but probably the Traditional Chinese language will work correctly only on Traditional Chinese or Simplified Chinese variant of Windows OS, because the attempt to run the game with Traditional Chinese language on English-language Windows OS resulted in crash of the game
• The game has full controller support, including the support of multiple gaming steering wheels. If you play with gamepad, you can additionally use UI Gamepad Icons mod that adds missing gamepad icons for UI. If the game doesn't recognize your controller - try to use one of the additional tools from PCGamingWiki guide for controllers
• Online multiplayer mode of the game doesn't work because the online servers were closed in 2021 when the game was removed from all digital stores. But the game also had a support of LAN multiplayer, so you can try to play the game in multiplayer with LAN emulators like Hamachi or RadminVPN, or GameRanger. If you want to play NFS: Shift and other NFS games in multiplayer - join Retro Racing Point on Discord
• Demo version of the game includes two tracks: London River and SPA Francorchamps. You can drive with four cars at the beginning: the Dodge Viper SRT10, Lotus Elise 111R, BMW M3 (E46) and the Nissan GT-R. If you manage to collect all ten driver badges, you could unlock a Pagani Zonda F. Plus there was an exclusive Falken Tire demo version, released in December, 2009; it contains an exclusive Falken Porsche GT3 RSR car, here's a gameplay video of that demo
• Brazilian translation patch showed some warnings on VirusTotal scan, here's the scan report. Even though most of the warnings are generic, for 100% safety you can install the game with that translation on Virtual Machine
• Don't forget to check PCGamingWiki if you have troubles with the game, also check Steam forums