Following on from the November 6 launch of Need For Speed: Heat launch at Hustlers' Market at Printworks (which featured appareances from Manchester rapper Aitch and Premier League players Callum Wilson, Nathan Ake, Josh King and Mamadou Sakho), PUMA and Life's A Beach have both linked up with Need For Speed: Heat to create some exclusive products which will also be wearable in-game.
The PUMA Hi OCTN x NFS sneaker collab was designed to reflect the bold and colourful aesthetics of the game — dropping in a black upper with pink, purple and blue accents, and an all-white sole — as well as the game's emphasis on customisation and individuality. Guests at the launch night could even pick up the new exclusive sneaker straight out of the boot of some of the game's incredible supercars.
Need For Speed: Heat will also give players the chance to dress their character in exclusive new garms from Life's A Beach, all designed to fit right in with the game's visual style. More than just a game, Need For Speed: Heat is as much about style and art as it is about the gameplay. Specifically, it's about giving players the chance to put their stamp on the game, to set themselves apart as individuals by customising their character and their whips, all of which is reflected in the PUMA Hi OCTN x NFS sneaker.
The launch itself was a neon-lit ode to the game's aesthetic and ethos. Several of the cars featured in Need For Speed: Heat could be spotted in the blue-lit space: a McLaren P1, a Lamborghini Aventador, a vintage Ferrari Testarossa, a Dodge Charger and a customised Porsche 991 GT 2RS had all been brought in to give gamers a tangible taste of what they can get up to in the game. All 12 of the cars they brought in are available to drive and customise in the new game.
The game itself is the franchise's most eye-wateringly beautiful yet; set in '80s Miami (or Palm City, as they call it), the usual adrenaline-fueled madness is set against the backdrop of fluttering palm trees, pearly white beaches and the age of excess — the 'Heat' of the title adding another subtle allusion to the era.
Need For Speed: Heat is out now for PlayStation 4, Xbox One and PC. To order your copy, head to ea.com. The Hi OCTN x NFS sneaker launches globally on PUMA.com, PUMA stores and select retailers on November 18.
