Need for Speed’s Next Instalment Confirmed to Debut at Gamescom in August, NBA Live 20 Pushed to Next Quarter

The next entry in EA's hit Need for Speed franchise was officially confirmed earlier this year, but so far, the studio has remained mum on a possible release date or its name. That changes now, as EA has officially confirmed that the next Need for Speed game will be revealed at Gamescom. Also, a leaked product listing suggests that EA's next addition to the series will be christened Need for Speed Heat. Additionally, the studio has silently delayed the NBA Live 20 basketball game and has shifted its tentative release date to the next fiscal quarter.

Back in February, EA confirmed that the Need for Speed series will get a new game in 2019, but ever since then, the company has been mum on the project. In EA's latest earnings call, CEO Andrew Wilson revealed that the next Need for Speed series title will be revealed at Gamescom, which is set to kick off on August 20 in Cologne, Germany.

“We'll take the wraps off our new Need for Speed game heading into Gamescom in a few weeks”, Wilson was quoted as saying in EA's earnings call remarks. And if that was not enough, the name of the upcoming game might have already been leaked. As per a listing on Australian retailer Gameware's website, the next instalment in the series might be called Need for Speed Heat.

The next installment in the hit racing game franchise might be called Need for Speed Heat
Photo Credit: IGN

The listing, which was spotted by IGN, has now been removed. But a screenshot of the game's listing indicates that Need for Speed Heat's Xbox One and PlayStation 4 copies will each set buyers back by EUR 67.99 (roughly Rs. 5,200), however, there is no mention of a release date or a PC version's existence.

In other news, NBA Live 20, which was previously scheduled to arrive in the company's second fiscal quarter somewhere between July 1 and September 30, has now been delayed. As per EA's latest fiscal report, NBA Live 20 has been moved to the fiscal Q3 slot alongside the next Need for Speed game and the highly anticipated Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. With the delay in release now official, NBA Live 20 is now expected to debut at some point between October 1 and December 31.

This marks a full quarterly jump in its release date compared to the previous two games in the NBA Live series, both of which were released in September. While the reason behind NBA Live 20's delayed debut has not been officially revealed, an EA official has told Polygon that “We're planning a different approach to NBA Live this year, and will have more to share in the quarter ahead.”