Criterion Studio to take on all Need for Speed games

Electronic Arts has entrusted all Need for Speed games to British studio Criterion Games. If previously they were handled by different studios (for example, EA Black Box developed Need for Speed: Run, and Slightly Mad worked on Need for Speed: Shift), from now on the entire trademark is entirely in the hands of the British. Studio vice president Alex Ward spoke about this in an interview with GameInformer.

«From now on and in the future, everything related to Need for Speed and Burnout will bear our logo,» announced Alex Ward. «The series will no longer be spread across different companies. Other studios had their time to try their hand, but now we will be calling the shots.»

Currently, Need for Speed includes several series: Shift with a lean toward simulation, the online World, the story-driven The Run, and games from Criterion featuring virtual police.

Recall that Criterion Games became famous in the 2000s for its series of console racing games Burnout. In 2009, Electronic Arts noticed their work and entrusted them with making Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. At the moment the British are working on a new incarnation of Need For Speed: Most Wanted. The game was announced at E3, and release is expected on October 30.

All would be well, except that the fate of Burnout is now in great doubt. Alex Ward admitted that he «thinks about Burnout constantly,» but for now the studio has no concrete plans to continue the series.

Source: igromania.ru