EA, the popular video game manufacturer, announced today a release of a new game in the video game market of its popular "Need for Speed" series.

"Need for Speed: Hybrid Edition" will hit the shelves in time for the Christmas holidays, according to industry analysts, and will feature hybrid autos powering along the city streets at 45 MPH. Extra points will be given for fuel conservation and points will be subtracted for jackrabbit starts, racing the engine in idle, and other harmful wastes on the ecosystem. Better save your cash from the races, though, because these cars, like the real thing, will have a limited battery life, and if you don't get your car in for service at regular intervals, it may stall out on the jumps...a bad thing to happen if you're trying to clear the drawbridge.

Even the background will be changed to reflect a more politically correct video game. Buildings will feature solar panels, and features such as offshore windmills with tiny protesting depictions of Ted Kennedy can be seen if you look closely in the background. Instead of Autozone ads, "Need for Speed: Hybrid Edition" will feature billboards of Al Gore, Ralph Nader, and Al Franken hawking their politically correct manifestos, and Hillary Clinton will be one of the starters for the races.

Industry analysts are hoping the release of "Need for Speed: Hybrid Edition" will boost sales of hybrid vehicles by creating a "cool factor" among gamers. "We're hoping that gamers will want to get new hybrid vehicles for graduation instead of new SUV's and sports cars", said an anonymous developer, "Video games often set trends for these young people, and we're hoping this video game can make a difference in its own small way".

Look for "Need for Speed: Hybrid Edition" in an electronics store near you.