The final update coming to Need for Speed Heat enables crossplay between PlayStation, Xbox, and PC versions of the racing game, and developer Criterion is moving on to the next title in the long-running series. Released in November 2019, Need for Speed Heat was seen as a strong return to form for the series. In the wake of the disastrous Need for Speed: Payback, which was damaged by publisher EA’s signature “surprise mechanics” and pay-to-win loot box mechanics, many feared the series would never return to its former glory. Fortunately, Need for Speed Heat, while not revolutionary for the franchise, proved it at least still had some gas in the tank.

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In the months following Need for Speed Heat‘s release, developer Criterion, best known for its work on the Burnout franchise, updated the game with numerous free and premium content, from new cars and challenges to cosmetic customization options and more. Now, that support is coming to an end, but not before Need for Speed Heat cements its place in history by becoming Electronic Arts’ first title with full crossplay support.

As revealed on the EA blog, the final update for Need for Speed Heat adds in crossplay, allowing players across Xbox One, PlayStation 4, and PC to play together. This marks the first time any Electronic Arts game has supported this feature, which will hopefully become standard in the future. Furthermore, the blog post confirms that developer Criterion has begun work on the next Need for Speed title, presumably for next-gen consoles.

Today, many of the biggest games support crossplay, from Fortnite and Call of Duty to Final Fantasy XIV and Rocket League. EA is finally joining those games and their developers. As games age out of their initial release windows, it gets increasingly difficult to match up for online play. With crossplay enabled, the multiplayer community for Need for Speed Heat will undoubtedly benefit from having a unified player base.

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Developer Criterion are beloved by fans for their work in the racing genre. Between the timeless arcade action of the Burnout series and the more grounded approach to Need for Speed, the team has cemented its status as one of EA’s most talented studios. Electronic Arts is infamous for ruining games with microtransactions and other poor decisions, but the future of Need for Speed appears to be in safe hands under the guidance of Criterion.

Source: Electronic Arts

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Zak Wojnar
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Zak Wojnar is a writer from New York City. He’s covered everything from video games and movies to maple syrup and deli business. Thanks to Screen Rant, he’s discovered his newest passion, interviewing artists. He takes great joy in letting film and gaming legends tell their own story and share their passion for their art.
Zak’s first memory is going with his dad to Tower Records and buying the VHS boxed set of the original Star Wars trilogy. Over the next decade or so, those tapes would be completely worn out through overuse. When he’s not preparing for the next big interview, he can usually be found sitting too close to the TV, either re-watching Miami Vice or The X-Files, or getting lost in a video game.
Zak has bylines at Game Informer, Muscle & Fitness, PopCultureGalaxy, Men’s Fitness, Cheese Connoisseur, and Deli Business (see, that wasn’t a joke before!), among others.
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