Is Need for Speed Cross Platform?

Need for Speed is a franchise that has been ongoing since the 90s so the fast and easy answer to the question “Is Need for Speed cross platform?” would be a big no for most of the entries in the series. However, some of the more recent Need for Speed games do offer cross platform play. Here’s a closer look at this and see just which games offer this feature starting with the 2015 reboot of the series.

Need for Speed (2015)

Released in 2015, this game was a complete reboot of the Need for Speed franchise and was developed by Ghost Games. It was released on the Playstation 4 and Xbox One as well as PC using the now-defunct Origin gaming platform by EA. If you’re wondering “Is Need for Speed cross platform?” then the answer is yes, but no to cross play. There was a petition on Change.org for cross platform play but it only had five signatures.

Also check: Is Need for Speed 2 Player?

Need for Speed Payback (2017)

Payback brought some noticeable improvements to the Need for Speed series such as an offline story mode and 24-hour day and night cycle. Despite these new features and a focus on cinematic stunt driving, the game answers the question “Is Need for Speed cross platform?” with a big nope. Like the previous entry, it was released for Xbox One, PS4, and PC.

Need for Speed Heat (2019)

Heat brought some interesting concepts to the table such as adding cop chases to the game and trading the 24-hour day and night cycle for the ability to change from day to night as needed for different races and payouts. Also for PC, Xbox One, and PS4, Need for Speed Heat offered cross platform play between all systems. However, it is not cross progression. This means you can’t transfer your saved data from one system to another.

Also check out: Is Need for Speed Rivals multiplayer?

Need for Speed Unbound (2022)

The most recent game in the franchise, Unbound was released on December 2, 2022, and is the first modern Need for Speed game to answer the question “Is Need for Speed cross platform?” with a yes straight from launch. Though the reviews were generally positive and comparable to Heat and F1 22, sales were down a massive 64 percent.

The reason for this could be due to the fact that the game was released on the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S in addition to the PC. As you probably know, there aren’t anywhere near as many of these next-gen consoles out there as their predecessors. In fact, the PS4 is still ahead of the PS5 by 2.56 million units. In any case, Need for Speed Unbound’s poor sales are more likely a reflection of its lack of accessibility, not its quality.