The next installment in the Need for Speed franchise, namely Undercover, will hit the streets on November 18th. Actor Maggie Q has been named as the game's star.

Today, EA officially announced Need for Speed Undercover for the Xbox 360, PlayStation 3, PlayStation 2, PlayStation Portable, Wii, Nintendo DS, PC, and mobile devices. True to Riccitiello's word, the street racer will feature a number of live-action cutscene sequences, and the publisher has secured the talents of starlet Maggie Q (Balls of Fury, Mission Impossible III) to lead its efforts. Ms. Q will play the role of Agent Chase Linh, who oversees players as they infiltrate the underground racing scene to upend an international crime syndicate.

As noted by Riccitiello, Undercover will feature gameplay that resembles 2005's NFS: Most Wanted, emphasizing car chases, underground racing, and highway battles. The shift in direction, according to Riccitiello, was possible because EA's Vancouver-based Black Box is no longer being "tortured" by a one-year development cycle. GameSpot will have its first impressions of the retooled racer next Wednesday