The new Need for Speed game's title has been leaked. On the official Need for Speed Youtube channel, there is a time-gated video counting down to an announcement in 16 hours. Clever fans scraped this as-yet-unreleased video for its thumbnail images which show what's expected to be the new game's title and logo, Need for Speed Heat.
Two immediately recognizable associations can be drawn from the leaked logo. The first is in the name, "Heat." Heat is a renowned crime film from 1995 starring Al Pacino and Robert Deniro filled with cops vs. robbers action, set in Los Angeles. Heat could also be associated with the Miami Heat NBA team, perhaps implying an alternate setting.
As for the logo itself, it features the same stylized neon pink color and graffiti font often associated with the 80s. One notable comparison would be Grand Theft Auto Vice City's logo, which is incredibly similar. Another notable comparison would be the 2011 film Drive, a very gritty, 80s-inspired film with a lot of fast, visceral driving in it, which also features a neon pink logo written in cursive.
The neon pink is especially tied to the 80s. Neon signs grew rapidly popular in the decade due to steps forward in the sign industry. The cursive is also tied to this, since neon signs often used a single stretch of tube to spell out a word. However, this nostalgic view of 80s typography is mostly due to a modern resurgence of the style. The music genre Synthwave is a great example, though films like Drive or even the Stranger Things TV show also have contributed.
This isn't the first time the title Need for Speed Heat has been spread around, as others leaks have occurred before. These leaks also say that the game is made by EA's Ghost Games, focusing on street racers vs. cops and taking place in Miami. The big lingering question is whether the game will take place in the 80s or if it'll just be retro-inspired. With the official Need for Speed Heat announcement less than a day away, fans won't have to wait too long to find out the whole story.
Need for Speed Heat releases later this year.