Need For Speed: Heat

Need for Speed: Heat is the twenty-ninth game in the Need for Speed series, and the fourth developed by Ghost Games.

It was announced by publisher Electronic Arts to be released for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on November 8, 2019. An earlier 10-hour trial release date of November 5, 2019 was outlined alongside the reveal for EA Access through PlayStation 4 and Xbox One, as well as Origin Access for PC on the same date. Those with an Origin Access Premier subscription for PC can play the full Deluxe Edition release of Need for Speed: Heat, which was made available on November 5, 2019.

The name of the 2019 game was revealed on August 14, 2019 with a reveal trailer showing the setting, a contrast of legitimate and illegal racing, the presence of police, and unique player avatars. The official Need for Speed website was also updated with a second countdown timer, which ended on August 19, 2019 at 8pm (BST) / 12pm (PDT) / 7pm (UTC), and concluded with the release of a gameplay trailer during the Gamescom Opening Night Live event.

Following the reveal of Need for Speed: Heat, an Under The Hood article was posted to the r/needforspeed subreddit by F8RGE; the Global Community Engagement Manager at Electronic Arts. The post highlights aspects unique to Need for Speed: Heat, and that the game does not feature any loot boxes, which appeared as Shipments in Ghost's previous game; Need for Speed: Payback.

It marked the series' 25th anniversary, following the first game's release in 1994 - Road & Track Presents: The Need for Speed - and the second game denoting the series' long history following the Black Edition of Need for Speed: Most Wanted; released in 2005 to mark the series' 10th anniversary.