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Need for Speed™ Payback

Need for Speed™ Payback

Set in the underworld of Fortune Valley, you and your crew were divided by betrayal and reunited by revenge to take down The House, a nefarious cartel that rules the city’s casinos, criminals and cops. In this corrupt gambler’s paradise, the stakes are high and The House always wins.

85%
Very Positive
DeveloperGhost Games
PublisherElectronic Arts
Release DateJun 18, 2020
$29.99
Peak Players12.2K
Metacritic62
PlatformsWindows
Action
Adventure
Racing
Sports
Strategy
AI Review Summary

Need for Speed™ Payback delivers solid arcade racing mechanics and impressive Frostbite-driven visuals that perform well even on lower-end hardware and Steam Deck. However, the experience is significantly marred by a controversial RNG-based 'Speed Card' progression system and writing that many players find 'cringe' or childish.

Pros

  • Core arcade racing gameplay is fun, responsive, and mechanically sound.90%
  • Strong graphical performance and optimization, including a smooth 60fps experience on Steam Deck.85%
  • Cinematic campaign style that appeals to fans of the Fast and Furious aesthetic.70%
  • Accessible performance for players with older or less powerful PC hardware.60%

Cons

  • Frustrating and confusing 'Speed Card' upgrade system that relies on RNG and gambling mechanics.95%
  • Poorly received story and dialogue often described as 'cringe' or 'millennial slop'.85%
  • Technical friction caused by the mandatory EA App, including forced restarts and launch issues.75%
  • Lack of support for steering wheel and pedal peripherals.60%
  • Limited endgame content and a perceived lack of freedom compared to other entries in the series.60%

Notable Mentions

  • The game lacks a native option to reset campaign progress.
  • Performance on Steam Deck OLED is reported as excellent, rarely dipping below 40fps.
Confidence: 82%
Based on the 98 most relevant reviewsGenerated on Aug 23, 2026
Game Vitals

Live snapshot

Player Activity

Current peak
322
Peak · last 90 days
1.8K
All-time peak
12.2K

Price

Current price
$29.99
Lowest tracked
$2.99since Jan 29, 2026

Review Sentiment

Launch week
—
Last 30 days
86%
All-time positive
85%
Review Statistics
Total Reviews32.3K
Positive: 27.6K (85%)Negative: 4.7K (15%)

1%

Reviews from Steam Deck

0%

Dev Response Rate

25h

Avg Playtime at Review

69%

Credible Reviews