The PS Plus free games for September 2022 include Need for Speed Heat (PS4), Toem (PS5), and Granblue Fantasy: Versus (PS4). At first glance, it seems like standard fare for the lowest subscription tier, but Need for Speed Heat’s inclusion is interestingly timed.

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PS Plus and a New Need for Speed Game

Usually, PS Plus games are just randomly selected titles, but there seems to be some subtext or underlying expectation in them from time to time. This could be because the game is expected to be a viral hit (like Rocket League or Fall Guys), that the selected game is pushing a different PS Plus tier (like God of War’s recent inclusion), or that something is happening with the franchise soon. The best example of this, perhaps, is Battlefield 5. Sony and EA included this title in the free games for May 2021 and, one month later, Battlefield 2042 was revealed. At the time, “Battlefield 6” rumors were rampant, and including Battlefield 5 only increased the hype for that.

So, it’s interesting to see Need for Speed Heat on PS Plus Essential while rumors about the next game are everywhere. Fans are so excited that a recent Dragon Age post by EA was overtaken by fans asking about Need for Speed. Indeed, rumors suggest that the next Need for Speed game will be revealed soon (aligning perfectly with the Battlefield 5/2042 rumors and PS Plus situation from May) and that it was internally delayed into December. If Need for Speed is going to follow the exact same path as Battlefield, then it’ll likely be revealed in October (as Battlefield 2042 was revealed one month after Battlefield 5’s inclusion on PS Plus).

That would be incredibly late for a game reveal, especially one coming in 2022, but stranger things have happened. Perhaps it’ll actually be revealed sometime this September, but what’s clear is that anyone interested in the new Need for Speed rumors can check out Heat on PS Plus to revisit the franchise’s last pit stop.

PS Plus subscribers get a handful of games every month.

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