Need For Speed Isn't Dead, But Criterion Is Focused On Road Ahead With Battlefield

Pump the brakes on expectations for a new Need for Speed anytime soon. That's because Criterion, the developer behind the racing series, is all in on supporting the next Battlefield experience currently. But EA is promising that Need for Speed will return eventually.

Eurogamer spoke with Battlefield boss Vince Zampella about Criterion, which now sits under the Battlefield Studios banner. Of course, that sort of change--with Criterion supporting the single-player experience for the next Battlefield--brings up questions about whether the developer might only be focused on the shooter series going forward.

"The Need for Speed team at Criterion are joining their colleagues working on Battlefield," said Zampella. "As a company, it was important to us to take the last year to listen to our Need for Speed community and use their feedback to create content for Unbound. With an increased understanding of what our players want in a Need for Speed experience, we plan to bring the franchise back in new and interesting ways."

In September 2023, EA announced that Criterion was contributing to the next Battlefield game, though it added work would continue with the Need for Speed series. Criterion previously partnered on Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042. Meanwhile, earlier in 2023, former Criterion developers formed Fuse Games after the launch of Need for Speed Unbound, the last entry in the franchise.

Criterion became the de facto studio for the racing series with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, followed up by Need for Speed: Most Wanted in 2012. Previously, the developer was best known for creating and overseeing the Burnout franchise. Then, Ghost Games took charge of the franchise, starting with 2013's Need for Speed Rivals and ending with 2019's Need for Speed Heat. EA revealed that Criterion was coming back to Need for Speed in 2020, ultimately releasing 2022's Need for Speed Unbound. Team Kaizen, which helped support Need for Speed Unbound, is also joining Criterion to contribute to the next Battlefield, per EA's website.

As for the next Battlefield, no release date has been publicly unveiled yet.