Criterion Games, the studio renowned for its explosive racing titles like Burnout and Need For Speed, is now officially "a Battlefield Studio," a significant shift that mirrors the company's strategic direction. This rebranding, coinciding with the studio's 30th anniversary, signals a complete dedication to the Battlefield franchise, a departure from its celebrated racing heritage.
VP & GM of Battlefield Studios Europe, Rebecka Coutaz, emphasized this new focus, stating that the studio is "solely focused on Battlefield." While the anniversary celebration included nods to Criterion's past, such as a montage of racing highlights and a chance to play classic Need For Speed titles, the event predominantly showcased the studio's current collaborative efforts on the Battlefield series.
Criterion's journey began in January 1996 as a subdivision of Criterion Software, initially established to demonstrate its Renderware graphics engine. Early titles like Scorched Planet and the aquatic vehicle games Speedboat Attack and Sub Culture highlighted the studio's prowess in 3D visuals and fluid gameplay. Irreverent humor became a hallmark, evident in games like Redline Racer and Trickstyle.
The studio cemented its reputation with the Burnout series, starting in 2001. Burnout revolutionized arcade racing by emphasizing speed and danger, encouraging players to perform risky maneuvers to build boost. This approach, a stark contrast to the simulation-focused Gran Turismo, became a foundational element of the genre, influencing subsequent titles. The spectacular crashes depicted in Burnout games were a key part of their appeal, offering a cinematic flair that carried over into later Criterion projects.
Criterion also ventured into the first-person shooter genre with 2006's Black, which aimed to bring a similar cinematic intensity to gunfights as Burnout did to racing. According to Coutaz, the "intensity, the cinematic view, the instant reward moment" that players experience in Battlefield games can be traced back to the principles established in Black and Burnout.
In the 2010s, Criterion took the reins of EA's Need For Speed franchise. Titles like Need For Speed Hot Pursuit (2010) and Need For Speed: Most Wanted (2012) revitalized the series by stripping away unnecessary narrative elements and focusing on streamlined, mechanically rich racing. These games demonstrated Criterion's mastery in creating high-speed, adrenaline-fueled driving experiences.
However, Criterion's role began to shift towards collaboration. By 2016, the studio was credited with "additional work" on Star Wars Battlefront and the Battlefield franchises. This led to its current position as a dedicated development partner within Battlefield Studios. Coutaz stressed the importance of a clear creative vision shared across all collaborating studios, ensuring a unified game experience regardless of team location.
While Criterion's technical expertise in areas like sound design and cinematic presentation is evident in current Battlefield titles, the studio's rebranding raises questions about the future of its racing game legacy. The decision to focus exclusively on Battlefield means that the unique identity, humor, and 30-year heritage of a premier racing game developer may be sidelined for the foreseeable future.