Criterion Games, the studio responsible for beloved racing franchises Need for Speed and Burnout, is now exclusively focused on the Battlefield series. Rebecka Coutaz, vice president and general manager of Battlefield Studios Europe, confirmed this shift, stating that the studio is "solely focused on Battlefield" and not on its past automotive titles.
Criterion's involvement with Need for Speed began in 2010 with the reboot of Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. The studio also developed Need for Speed Rivals and the more recent Need for Speed Unbound. Prior to its work on Need for Speed, Criterion developed several entries in the Burnout franchise between 2001 and 2018. The confirmation of Criterion's singular focus on Battlefield casts doubt on the potential return of both the Need for Speed and Burnout series.
Coutaz acknowledged that while the subject matter has changed from cars to combat, the core strengths of Criterion remain consistent. "Yes, it used to be cars and less guns. But it's the overall player experience that we are sharing with the same intensity," she explained. She highlighted the studio's ability to deliver "the intensity, the cinematic view, the instant reward moment that our players love on Battlefield," as key aspects of their shared player experience.
As Criterion dedicates its full resources to the Battlefield franchise, the future of its previous racing game IPs remains unaddressed, suggesting a prolonged absence or definitive end for new installments in the foreseeable future.