Criterion Games has made it clear that they aren’t returning to their racing games anytime soon.
In an interview with IGN, Battlefield Studios exec Rebecka Coutaz spoke on the occasion of Criterion Games turning 30 years old. When she was asked if Criterion could work on any other games in the future, she said this:
We are solely focused on Battlefield.
As IGN noted, this shuts down any speculation that Criterion could ever return to their biggest original success, Burnout, nor EA’s big racing franchise, Need for Speed. The last Burnout release was Burnout Paradise Remastered on the Switch in 2020. Subsequently, Criterion made the last Need for Speed in 2022, named Need for Speed Unbound.
While it’s a disappointing statement in its implications, EA may not be in any shape to take risks in their games, as they are working towards finalizing their leveraged buyout to go private.
That has reportedly involved layoffs in their Hyderabad, India location, though EA has yet to announce that the deal has completed.
