Need for Speed Series Isn't Dead, But Dev Now Fully Focused on Battlefield

The Need for Speed arcade racing series isn’t going away permanently, but a new installment might not show up right away. In conjunction with today’s Battlefield Labs announcement, it has been revealed that the franchise creator, Criterion, is joining forces with three other EA teams to establish Battlefield Studios. Their collective focus will be on developing the next first-person shooter game.

Eurogamer inquired if EA’s response that the Need for Speed team at Criterion is joining their Battlefield colleagues means that Need for Speed is no longer active. To this, EA responded: “Indeed, the Need for Speed team from Criterion is collaborating with those working on Battlefield.” The statement further mentioned that since its release, the latest game in the series, Need for Speed Unbound, has received regular updates and improvements based on player feedback.

EA has affirmed that they intend to revive the franchise in fresh and captivating formats; however, as there are no team members at Criterion dedicated to the series right now, any new game is likely several years down the line. In September 2023, Vince Zampella mentioned that a key team within Criterion was busy brainstorming ideas for the franchise’s future.

At this point, it seems like those plans have been temporarily halted. A remake of A Need for Speed: Most Wanted was hinted at by an original game voice actor in 2023, but there has been no further development or confirmation on the project — if the initial claim is accurate.

2025-02-04 00:36

Need for Speed Series Isn’t Dead, But Dev Now Fully Focused on Battlefield

Read More