Which Need for Speed game is described as the franchise's thirteenth installment?

Need for Speed: Shift is described as the thirteenth installment in the Need for Speed franchise.

Released in 2009, Shift was developed by Slightly Mad Studios and published by Electronic Arts. Its central design choice was a stronger emphasis on racing simulation, with cockpit-focused driving, realistic circuits and a more structured motorsport feel than many of the series’ arcade-oriented predecessors.

The game launched for PlayStation 3, Windows and Xbox 360, while a separate version was developed for PlayStation Portable. Mobile adaptations were also produced. Its simulation direction helped distinguish it from Need for Speed: ProStreet, Need for Speed: Undercover and Need for Speed: Nitro, even though all belong to the same broader franchise.

Shift was followed by Shift 2: Unleashed in 2011. The sequel retained the simulation emphasis, while the main series later returned to other styles of street and arcade racing. The installment count is a franchise designation, not a statement that Shift was the thirteenth game released on every platform.