Need for Speed Heat will not feature Loot Boxes

Post-launch “surprise” mechanics have become popular amongst many modern AAA releases, with titles like Crash Team Racing: Nitro-Fueled and Call of Duty: WWII being recent examples of this. These updates allow games to release without age ratings that list loot boxes or surprise mechanics and are designed to prevent them from being the focus of early game reviews. This is a dodgy practice and should be condemned in all instances for retail game releases.

After launch, Ghost Games plans to release paid-DLC for Need for Speed Heat in the form of car packs. Additionally, a “time-save pack” will also be released. This “time-save” pack will show all in-game collectables on the game map.    

Need for Speed Heat will release on November 8th on PC, Xbox One and PlayStation 4, with PC gamers gaining early access on November 5th via Origin Access. A full gameplay trailer for the game is due to be released on August 19th at 8 PM UK time at Gamescom 2019. 

Need for Speed Heat will take place in Palm City, giving players a large open world where players are expected to make a name for themselves in both legal and illegal races. By day, players can complete in the Speedhunters Showdown, a legally sanctioned competition while at night players can build their reputation in underground events.  

Expect plenty of vehicle customisation, police chases and what EA calls an “immersive narrative”. With Need for Speed Heat, EA plans to create “the ultimate street racer versus cop fantasy”.