Need for Speed Heat will become EA’s first cross-play game

Need for Speed Heat will become EA’s first cross-play game when the title’s final update is released this Tuesday, June 9.

After installing the update, PC, PS4 and Xbox One players will be required to opt in to be able to race players on other platforms.

Following its Steam release last week, Need for Speed Heat is also set to join EA Access and Origin Access on June 16.

EA announced in February that it had handed Need for Speed development duties back to Criterion Games as it planned to restructure Ghost Games, which developed the last four entries in the racing series.

Guildford, England-based Criterion is best known for the Burnout series and has also developed two previous Need for Speed titles: 2010’s Hot Pursuit and 2012’s Most Wanted.

In a new blog post, Criterion general manager Matt Webster confirmed that Tuesday’s Need for Speed Heat update will be the game’s last.

“As we at Criterion shift gears into the future with full focus on developing the next Need for Speed game, this will be the final update for Need for Speed Heat,” he wrote.

“Since the launch of Need for Speed Heat and as players continue to tear it up in Palm City, we’re listening to what you love about this experience, and what you all believe could be even better.

“With these insights, we have a terrific foundation to create the most expressive, most socially connected, action-packed game yet for Need for Speed fans and beyond.”

Webster also said further Need for Speed and Steam announcements will be made during the rescheduled EA Play Live digital event on June 18.