History Trivia / NeedForSpeedMostWanted

* KeepCirculatingTheTapes: ''Most Wanted'' 2005 on Xbox 360 has been out-of-print since the 2012 game's release, and was even delisted from the Xbox Games Store beforehand. As a result, pre-owned retail copies tend to sell at prices closer to the original MSRP than most other ''Need for Speed'' titles.

* TheOtherDarrin: Bizarrely, within the game, there is a particular cop who shows up on the radio during Heat Level Five chases at the same time when Cross's car does, who takes control of the pursuit and orders cops around. It's obviously supposed to be Cross, yet it's also very obviously not Dean [=McKenzie=], the actor who plays Cross in the cutscenes, the few cell phone voice messages the player receives from him, and in the final pursuit when Cross sarcastically "thanks" the player for helping him take out the Blacklist. Unfortunate, too, as the actor who voices Cross on the radio is not nearly as good. [[spoiler: Fortunately, [=McKenzie=] returns to voice Cross in his cameo in ''Payback''.]]

For trivia relating to the games' parent franchise in general, click [[Trivia/NeedForSpeed here]].

* CashCowFranchise: The 2005 game was the most successful entry in [[VideoGame/NeedforSpeed the series]], selling sixteen million copies.
* DenialOfDigitalDistribution: The 2005 version will likely never be sold digitally again, especially after the 2012 version came out. Though given the 2005 game's status as abandonware, the game will never be released again officially in any medium at all.

** An unused folder named 350Z appears on the 2005 game files, as well with mentions on the game code along with a Skyline. It is possible they didn't make into the final game due to Nissan possibly not wanting their cars to be featured in police chases, similarly to how the Skyline couldn't be used in Hot Pursuit mode in ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHighStakes High Stakes]]''. Both cars would be properly reintroduced in ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]]''.
** A near-complete model of the non-GTR variant of the E46 M3 can be found on the 2005 files as well. It would later make its proper debut in ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedProStreet ProStreet]]''.

* TheOtherDarrin: Bizarrely, within ''Most Wanted'' 2005, there is a particular cop who shows up on the radio during Heat Level Five chases at the same time when Cross's car does, who takes control of the pursuit and orders cops around. It's obviously supposed to be Cross, yet it's also very obviously not Dean [=McKenzie=], the actor who plays Cross in the cutscenes, the few cell phone voice messages the player receives from him, and in the final pursuit when Cross sarcastically "thanks" the player for helping him take out the Blacklist. Unfortunate, too, as the actor who voices Cross on the radio is not nearly as good. [[spoiler: Fortunately, [=McKenzie=] returns to voice Cross in his cameo in ''Payback''.]]

** An unused folder named 350Z appears on the 2005 game files, as well with mentions on the game code along with a Skyline. It is possible they didn't make into the final game due to possibly unresolved licensing issue with Nissan, similarly to how the Skyline couldn't be used in Hot Pursuit mode in ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedHighStakes High Stakes]]''. Both cars would be properly reintroduced in ''[[VideoGame/NeedForSpeedCarbon Carbon]]''.

* TheOtherDarrin: Bizarrely, within ''Most Wanted'' 2005, there is a particular cop who shows up on the radio during Heat Level Five chases at the same time when Cross's car does, who takes control of the pursuit and orders cops around. It's obviously supposed to be Cross, yet it's also very obviously not the actor who plays Cross in the cutscenes, the few cell phone voice messages the player receives from him, and in the final pursuit when Cross sarcastically "thanks" the player for helping them take out the Blacklist. Unfortunate, too, as the actor who plays Cross on the radio is not nearly as good as the actual Cross actor Dean [=McKenzie=]. [[spoiler:Fortunately, [=McKenzie=] returns to voice Cross in his cameo in ''Payback''.]]

* DenialOfDigitalDistribution: The 2005 version will likely never be sold digitally again, especially after the 2012 version came out. Though given the 2005 game's status as abandonware, the game will never be released again officially at all.

* TheOtherDarrin: Bizarrely, within ''Most Wanted'' 2005, there is a particular cop who shows up on the radio during Heat Level Five chases at the same time when Cross's car does, who takes control of the pursuit and orders cops around. It's obviously supposed to be Cross, yet it's also very obviously not the actor who plays Cross in the cutscenes, the few cell phone voice messages the player receives from him, and in the final pursuit when Cross sarcastically "thanks" the player for helping them take out the Blacklist. Unfortunate, too, as the actor who plays Cross on the radio is not nearly as good as the actual Cross actor Dean [=McKenzie=]. [[spoiler:Ironically, that other actor, Chris Williams, is the one who voices Cross in his cameo in ''Payback''.]]

* DenialOfDigitalDistribution: The 2005 version will likely never be sold digitally again, especially after the 2012 version came out. Though given the 2005 game's status as abandonware, the game will never be released again officially at all.* DummiedOut:

* CashCowFranchise: The 2005 game was the most successful entry in [[VideoGame/NeedforSpeed the series]], selling sixteen million copies. Also, while EA did not reveal specific sales figures for the 2012 game, that entry had good sales as well, and it outsold the previous year's ''The Run''.
* CreatorKiller: The ''NFS'' and ''Burnout'' fandoms' backlash over ''Most Wanted'' 2012, along with the TroubledProduction and severe commercial failure of the UsefulNotes/WiiU port, arguably ruined Creator/CriterionGames, who haven't released a new game of their own since. They even lost their co-founders and had most of their staff moved to [[Creator/EAGothenburg Ghost Games]]. It was only at [[UsefulNotes/ElectronicEntertainmentExpo E3]] 2014 did the company show a glimpse of what they were working on next, which it is definitely not another ''Burnout'' game, but then it was later revealed that it was cancelled. Ultimately subverted, however, when Ghost Games' entries ended up disappointing throughout UsefulNotes/TheEighthGenerationOfConsoleVideoGames and the ''Need for Speed'' license went back to Criterion in February 2020, with Ghost downsizing back to a support studio and reverting back to their original name EA Gothenburg.
* DenialOfDigitalDistribution: The 2005 version will likely never be sold digitally again, especially after the 2012 version came out. Though given the 2005 game's status as abandonware, the game will never be released again officially at all.
* DevelopmentGag: The Hughes International Airport, added as part of the "''Terminal Velocity''" DLC pack for the 2012 game, is possibly one to ''Burnout Paradise'' as an [[http://burnout.wikia.com/wiki/File:Original_Map.jpg early concept of Paradise City]] originally included an airport where Big Surf Island ultimately ended up. Prior to Big Surf's reveal, it was speculated that this cut airport area would be offered as DLC.
* DummiedOut:

* ScrewedByTheNetwork:
** For the 2012 game, ''Most Wanted [[UsefulNotes/WiiU U]]'' [[http://www.mcvuk.com/news/read/ward-slams-nintendo-and-ea-over-wii-u-s-need-for-speed-most-wanted/0129308 according to former Criterion vice president Alex Ward.]] While Ward wasn't too happy with EA's treatment of the project, he ultimately placed the blame for the port's TroubledProduction and commercial failure firmly in Creator/{{Nintendo}}'s hands, subsequently vowing that his new company Three Fields Entertainment would never publish anything on a Nintendo platform. (Some years later, he cooled down and is developing ''Dangerous Driving 2'' for the UsefulNotes/NintendoSwitch.)
** Game files and an old alpha build video have recently surfaced that show the 2012 game was at first going to be more story driven with a plot directly related to the 2005 game. The files show mechanics, cars, and even characters that weren't in the final build. The video shows that the handling model is very different and possibly allows realistic drifting mechanics in contrast to the "brake-to-drift" physics of the final game. The reason we never got this version was due to [[ExecutiveMeddling EA rushing Criterion]] [[ChristmasRushed to finish the game in time for release.]]