The game is the first NASCAR game to be released on eighth generation consoles, with releases for the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One.
NASCAR THE HEAT DRIVERS
Drivers Joey Logano, Ryan Blaney, Brad Keselowski, Matt Tifft, and Ben Kennedy were hired by DMR to help develop the game. Monster President and Evolution lead developer Richard Garcia was a former member of the Heat design team. On May 20, DMR officially announced the game at Charlotte Motor Speedway, partnering with Monster Games, who had developed NASCAR Heat and NASCAR: Dirt to Daytona. CEO Tom Dusenberry was the founder and president of Hasbro Interactive.
The company's President Ed Martin formerly worked for Papyrus Design Group, Hasbro Interactive, EA Sports and Eutechnyx, who developed the NASCAR Racing, NASCAR Heat, EA Sports NASCAR and NASCAR The Game series, respectively. In 2015, Dusenberry Martin Racing, then known as DMi Games, acquired the NASCAR license from Eutechnyx in a deal lasting through 2020. In the challenge mode, players attempt to match or exceed current NASCAR records. Several different modes are built in the game, including a quick race mode, career mode, and a challenge mode. NASCAR Heat Evolution also includes a dynamic AI and Speed Rating system that matches the players skill level.
A November update added the drivers of the 2016 NASCAR Next class, such as Todd Gilliland, Ty Majeski, Harrison Burton and others, though those drivers are only available in quick race mode. The game features all 23 tracks from the 2016 NASCAR Sprint Cup Series schedule, as well as drivers from several teams like Childress, Ganassi, Gibbs, Hendrick, Petty, Penske, Roush and Stewart-Haas.