Ian Fisher writes: Outside of releasing Burnout Crash to the dismay of gamers everywhere, developer Criterion Games have stayed extremely tight lipped about what the future holds for the studio. There’s no concern that EA will shutter Criterion, but the main issue has simply been what’s next for Criterion? Will Criterion immediately be the go-to studio for developing future Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit games or will Burnout receive a proper follow-up at some point? We still don’t have a firm grasp of what Criterion will be releasing unto gamers next, but some recent job postings do hint at a few things.
After nearly three decades of NFS games, here's a list of the best Need For Speed titles that have ever been released in the past years, ranked by The Nerd Stash.
There has been significant changes at EA's Criterion studio following the departure of five of its longest-serving leaders.
Matt Webster, VP and GM of Criterion, has left the studio. Webster has been with Criterion for over 23 years, and has been working for EA since 1990. He was part of the initial team responsible for the first FIFA game.
Also departing is executive producer Pete Lake, who first joined Criterion back in 1996 as an artist. He leaves alongside senior technical director Andrei Shires, a 16-year Criterion veteran. Head of studio development Alan McDairmant is also moving on after 17 years with EA, while Steve Uphill, head of content, leaves following his latest 10-year stint with the developer. All five have left to "explore new opportunities outside of EA", and comes after the release of Need for Speed Unbound.
MOST of the OG devs left years ago. They are now at Media Molecule or Hello Games.
Burnout hasn't has a game for over a decade we need to get over it. For most of the last 20 years, Criterion has been nothing but a support studio, providing assistance on the crappy driving sections of Battlefield games. They're dead, long gone.
5 or 6 years ago at E3 they announced a new Criterion racing IP but this bellend of a CEO has destroyed the work John Riccitiello did to try and restore what little reputation EA had.
Im not surprised. The game debut at #17 on the UK game charts. It seems the people they let go were long term and senior employees. NFS unbound felt rushed. It a good game here but EA clearly rushed the title out. There was very little marketing and the game itself is lacking features that were in previous games. EA is to blame for this game failure, not Criterion.
The lack of sales could be the whole urban hip-hop, and cartoony characters designs. Two reason why I didn't buy the game.
Same here. Just not my thing. I’ll play it when it gets on EA pass or whatever it’s called.
The way the game looks graphically would be my issue. Weird cel shade look to it. Big eh
Nothing wrong with the theme its Need for Speed after all. Least they tried something different instead of the standard. I think it looked good. Haven't got it yet though, waiting on a price decrease.
The lack of sales could be ASAP Rocky's pending criminal court case and 0 advertising from EA that the game is out lol
Not to mention the NFS brand no longer carries weight.
It's a name that use to mean you were about to experience the next best racing game after the last NFS game blew your mind, and it kept going for over a decade until the wheels fell off and the franchise lost its way (you can thank EA for that one).
Now, if there's even an ounce of enjoyment in a new game, hardly anyone will want to try it because they got burned by one too many mediocre entries.
Someone will come along to fill the void eventually. Bugbear (creators of Wreckfest) would probably make a great fast paced destructive car game like Burnout.
There is a market for what Burnout did.
Two development studios will now operate as one working on the future of Need For Speed
No, no, no, no, no... Burnout Paradise was amazing! Just let them make another one of those.
Burnout paradise 2: Hot pursuit would be nice.
And make it just like need for speed most wanted where you could get chased by the cops just for the lulz.
I would really like something along the lines of another Burnout Paradise.
All I want is a new Burnout, didn't like Paradise, I want a Burnout that goes all over the world and is exotic, that would look awesome with the new engine.
The market for multiplat car games is getting very crowded. Even some of the more established brands are having a hard time to sell copies: check out Need for Speed Shift 2 for an example.
Criterion need to come up with something that stands out from the crown, and Burnout Crash aint it.
Grab the license from Disney-fag and make a Split/Second 2!