When you think of racing, do you think about the sweet, sweet shoes of the racers? PUMA and Electronic Arts certainly seem to think so, as the two have joined up to create a pair of shoes as part of a partnership with the new racing video game Need for Speed Heat, which is out this Friday. The shoes aren’t widely available just yet, being exclusively for sale on just one website, but in addition to the real ones, players can also pick up virtual versions of the shoes in the game itself.
“Forever Faster is not just the motto of our brand. It is also the attitude and passion of the partner we are aiming to collaborate with,” Anja Egger, Teamhead Marketing Motorsport at PUMA, states as part of the official press release. “What better way of highlighting this, than creating a product together with Need for Speed, which embodies passion for racing and drifting.”
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Here’s the official promo image for the new shoes, the collaboration for which is officially called “Hi OCTN x NFS,” because shoes:
“Individual expression is at the heart of the Need for Speed franchise. We’ve always encouraged players to show off their style through their rides, so when we decided to add the same level of customization to our in-game characters, we knew we needed a partner that exuded personality,” Riley Cooper, Creative Director of Need for Speed Heat, says in the same press release. “As one of the leading sports brands in the world and an expert in motorsport fashion, PUMA is an ideal partner. The Hi OCTN x NFS collaboration not only lets players hit the streets of Palm City in style, but also takes the game to a new level by bringing the Need for Speed Heat experience to life.”
The shoes are currently for sale over at Shoe Palace for $129.99, and are set to have a wider release online and at PUMA retail stores beginning November 15th.
What do you think of PUMA’s Need for Speed Heat shoes? Is this the sort of collaboration that really revs your engine? (I’m sorry; I’m not a car guy.) Let us know in the comments, or hit me up directly on Twitter at @rollinbishop to talk all things gaming!
Here’s all the details on the actual construction of the shoes, for those interested, straight from the press release:
“The PUMA Hi OCTN x NFS sneaker design features a Neoprene sock construction with technical overlays and a buckle for additional stability. As in drifting, the wider the tires, the more grip you have on corners and lateral movements. The full rubber outsole takes cues from wide rugged tires, with a comfortable EVA midsole providing the ultimate grip.”
Need for Speed Heat is set to release for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC on November 8th, but it is currently available for a set amount of playable time for EA Access members. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the upcoming racing game right here.
