Need For Speed seemingly on ice as Criterion becomes a Battlefield studio

Fans of EA's racing franchises are in for some disappointment--the Need for Speed and Burnout series are apparently stuck in the impound lot.

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Electronic Arts will soon be under new ownership, and that means some changes are happening behind the scenes--or in the case of Need for Speed, the changes were made previously and are now becoming more permanent. It's been revealed that Criterion is now exclusively on Battlefield and will lend its vehicular mastery to the FPS warfighter moving forward.

"We are solely focused on Battlefield," Battlefield studios Europe exec Rebecka Coutaz recently told IGN. When pressed on the future of Burnout and Need for Speed, Coutaz apparently said: "We're not here to talk about the past."

That's putting a leader between a rock and a hard place, but the consortium of investors who are taking EA private aren't spending $55 billion to invest in potential hits. These players want more guaranteed hits, and Battlefield is a key franchise that needs a lot of support. Criterion has played a key part of Battlefield 6's development since it was conscripted to help with the franchise back in 2023. But Criterion was never promised to be on Battlefield for good (until now, that is).

At the time, in 2023, former Battlefield lead Vince Zampella said that Criterion would continue working on the next Need for Speed project. Zampella later passed away in a tragic crash.

Frequently Asked Questions

TweakBot answers common questions about this news using TweakTown's own coverage from this page and related content from our archive. Tap a question to reveal the answer, or type your own below.

Question #1

Will Criterion's shift to Battlefield mean Need for Speed development is being moved to another EA studio?

The article does not say Need for Speed development has been moved to another EA studio. It reports Criterion is now solely focused on Battlefield and that Need for Speed and Burnout appear to be on hold.

Answered

Question #2

Are there any active Need for Speed or Burnout projects in development despite Criterion focusing on Battlefield?

No. The article says Need for Speed and Burnout appear to be on ice as Criterion is now "solely focused on Battlefield," putting the racing franchises in cold storage. While Vince Zampella had previously said Criterion would continue work on the next Need for Speed, the studio’s current exclusive Battlefield focus means there are no active projects at Criterion for those series.

Answered

Question #3

How might Criterion's exclusive work on Battlefield affect the timeline for the next Need for Speed release?

Click to reveal answer

Question #4

Could the reported ownership change of EA influence whether Need for Speed or Burnout are revived in the near term?

Yes. The article says EA will be under new ownership and the investor consortium wants more guaranteed hits, so Criterion has been made solely focused on Battlefield. That shift puts Need for Speed and Burnout in cold storage and makes a near term revival unlikely.

Answered

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"Work will also continue on what's next for Need for Speed. Many of you might be familiar with my history in games, having worked with extremely talented teams on Apex Legends, Titanfall, and Star Wars Jedi here at Electronic Arts. But you might not know I have a passion for cars, which also makes Criterion a perfect match for me to explore another genre in gaming that I love. I'm really looking forward to working with a core group as we shape what's next for the franchise."