Happy New Year to all our players – and thank you for playing the game since its release and through the holidays! Today, we’re giving you a rundown of what’s coming in the next update, arriving on January 28.



Also, a big thank you for all the feedback you’ve provided. You’ve told us what you’re enjoying, but also what could be improved. Two updates have been delivered so far, focused on bug fixes and technical improvements.



Here’s what’s next.

Steering Wheels

At the end of the month, you’ll be able to plug in your own steering wheel to play Need for Speed Heat. We have tested the following models, but a few others might work as well: Thrustmaster T300RS (PS4, PC*)

Thrustmaster TX (Xbox, PC*)

Thrustmaster T150 (PS4, PC*)

Thrustmaster TMX (Xbox, PC*)

Logitech G29 (PS4, PC*)

Logitech G920 (Xbox, PC*)

Fanatec CSL Elite Racing Wheel (PS4, PC*, XB1) Make sure to connect your equipment before launching the game, and that your steering wheel is assigned to your user profile. *When using a steering wheel on PC, some extra steps might be necessary. Please read the full update notes for the January Update.



Chat Wheel

Remember the emote wheel from Need for Speed Payback? We’ve used it as the basis for the chat wheel, but instead of emotes, you can send pre-made messages to crew members and rivals in the game session.

Ask racers to follow, challenge them to races, or compliment their driving. Now you can communicate with friends through the touch of a button, even if you’re not in voice chat.



Keys to the Map

The name gives it away – getting the Keys to the Map will uncover Palm City’s secrets. Available through a real money purchase, this will instantly reveal locations on the in-game map, including collectibles, activities, and gas stations.



It won’t complete any activities or collect street art for you, but their locations will be revealed. No need to slow down to explore. Plus, you will have access to all safehouses straight away except for one, which is unlocked through story progression.



Quality of Life Improvements