Criterion-developed Need for Speed coming 'next year'

by Christopher Grant { Nov 9th 2009 at 8:10PM }

"In recent years, we failed to put adequate resources behind the franchise and, as a result, quality suffered," EA Games label president Frank Gibeau said of the Need for Speed franchise, currently in the midst of a reboot with the well received Need for Speed: Shift, the recently released Need for Speed: Nitro, and the we're-not-sure-that's-going-to-work Need for Speed: World Online. But there's a fourth post-reboot Need for Speed title in development at Criterion Games, the devs behind the excellent Burnout series.

Removing any doubt that the series will miss an opportunity for annual exploitation (again, the massively multilpayer online racing of World Online doesn't count!) Gibeau said "Next year's Need for Speed has been under development now for some time at our award-winning Criterion Studio." We're not sure what type of Need for Speed Criterion is creating, but we wouldn't be surprised if it was heavy on the crashing.

Tags: Criterion-Games, EA, Electronic-Arts, Frank-Gibeau, Need-for-Speed, NFS

Reader Comments (Page 1 of 2)

Sly @ Nov 9th 2009 8:13PM

yessss. i'm SO ready for a new good arcadey NFS.

thatguy @ Nov 9th 2009 9:35PM

Please let it be Underground 3!!!

PSN: Str84rumBk @ Nov 9th 2009 10:26PM

NEED FOR SPEED:PARADISE ANYONE!!!! sorry for caps i just love criterion.

Draken Stark @ Nov 10th 2009 3:31AM

I'm a big fan of the NFS: Hot Pursuit series. The second HP wasn't as good as the first, but I'd love to see this be the 3rd.

Dave @ Nov 9th 2009 8:14PM

MATCH MADE IN HEAVEN!!!

Seriously, this is a great idea.

Platinum_Skeet @ Nov 9th 2009 10:45PM

It should've happend sooner. Taking EA's best racing staff to put some life back into one of their dieing franchises will be great.

I just see some layoffs coming in the distance though...

mean2u @ Nov 9th 2009 8:17PM

Yes!

SpyderTaco (PSN: Ar4chNova89) @ Nov 9th 2009 8:19PM

I don't care if it's a Need for Speed game.
Anything + Criterion = Sold.

Cheesus Crust @ Nov 9th 2009 8:45PM

Plus YEARS of AWESOME FREE DLC and then WORTH IT paid DLC, make the above statement truer than any other statement on the whole internets.

Massmass @ Nov 9th 2009 8:58PM

Are the thrusts free or are they pay for DLC?

shibathedog @ Nov 9th 2009 9:01PM

True, maybe there will finally be a NFS game that doesn't suck hard now. The only good ones are the really old ones.

M. Dizzy @ Nov 9th 2009 10:36PM

LMAO that was hilarious...can't believe it got downvoted! Thank you very much for the best laugh this evening.

Double J @ Nov 9th 2009 8:20PM

It's like like asked the people in my life "What kind of game do you think he'd like?" and this is what they created. Huzzah!

Double J @ Nov 10th 2009 12:32AM

Although, I have to admit, the thing I hate the most about Burnout Paradise, and a trend that was in racing games for a while was the open world map for racing. I hope they don't do that. Just make Burnout 3 again, but with licensed cars.

Marius Returns @ Nov 9th 2009 8:22PM

Oh yes, but that makes me wonder when the next Burnout is coming, either way this is good news

Also: Im back stiggers, miss me? Dont answer that

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 9th 2009 8:27PM

Oh, joy. Another troll.

The work of the members of the ATDF is never done.

Bobby Kotick @ Nov 9th 2009 8:33PM

The name sounds familiar... Who's this guy? Because he sounds like a bigger asshat than me, and that's a scary thought...

Sly @ Nov 9th 2009 8:38PM

marius, you FINALLY got banned?

Marius Returns @ Nov 9th 2009 8:42PM

what in the world?
http://www.joystiq.com/profile/2496610/
you people forget that soon :(

@Sly, yes I got banned for calling yall sheep in that MW2 thread, well not because of that mostly because of the comments that followed, I caught the Tmac bug and felt like trolling.

Stay on topic now

Durden @ Nov 9th 2009 8:24PM

Criterion + licensed cars = my money

I bet most auto companies won't allow the cars to tear to pieces like in the Burnout series though.

wickedpheonix @ Nov 9th 2009 8:25PM

Did Hell freeze over? Need for Speed made by the Burnout developer?

Sounds like someone just divided by zero. In other news, that's awesome =D

Daniel @ Nov 9th 2009 8:25PM

maybe turn 10 should make the next NFS.

NOOK @ Nov 10th 2009 2:57AM

Because that's what they do now: Create arcady "for-the-whole-family" casual racing games. It's sad, but it's true.

Darth Bradwart, The Dark Lord of the Sith @ Nov 9th 2009 8:26PM

Need For Burnout: Paradise?

I'll buy it.

Viridium @ Nov 9th 2009 8:26PM

Heavy on the crashing... That'd be nice, I still kinda miss the dedicated crash junctions in Burnout Paradise. I even went out and re-bought Revenge just to play the crashes again.

Longbottom, Leif @ Nov 10th 2009 10:56AM

Yea.
I just wish we would get a new Burnout instead: something that's more like Burnout Revenge or takedown. Something with Crash Junctions, Road Rage, and Traffic Attack.
The last couple of Burnouts (Legends & Paradise) were really disappointing in that respect: they were like any other racing game.

So my question is: will Criterion make NfS revolutionary, or will NfS drag Criterion further into mediocrity?
I hope this turns out good but I can't say I'm optimistic.

Premature ejaculation man @ Nov 9th 2009 8:27PM

So that means free DLC? =p

Damanx @ Nov 9th 2009 8:30PM

Good to hear. I would love to destroy licensed cars!!

Kattleox @ Nov 9th 2009 8:33PM

So we will finally get burnout with real cars?! I APPROVE!

Sly @ Nov 9th 2009 8:55PM

i dunno, fake cars are part of what made burnout so charming. they could make up ANY KIND of car because they didn't have to rely on real ones. and because of that, we got awesome new cars that we would never get in any other game.

eNrique @ Nov 9th 2009 9:56PM

Pretty much every car in Burnout is based on a real world one.

Sly @ Nov 10th 2009 12:35AM

not the coolest ones.

KVN @ Nov 9th 2009 8:34PM

Yes Yes hell freaking yes!!!!!!! Ok with that out of the way it's about time they did a need for speed game.At first i thought that was the reason EA acquired them in the first place.

jak33 @ Nov 9th 2009 8:35PM

I'm torn.

While I would love to have a new Need for speed that is as good as hot pursuit 2, I really loved burnout paradise. I guess I should just be happy that criterion is finally making another game :)

jak33 @ Nov 9th 2009 9:10PM

who is this imposter

lenandude @ Nov 9th 2009 8:36PM

Well, I kinda don't like that the title will be Need for Speed, but I'm sure it will be an amazing game. And I will pretty much for sure buy it. My hope is that its basically like Burnout for the most part.

Hooded Miracle @ Nov 9th 2009 8:36PM

I see nothing wrong with this.

Metal_Link @ Nov 9th 2009 8:47PM

You know, it would have been nice of them to release the final Paradise DLC (The Island) on the PC platform before they went to work on the new game of a different franchise.

Just sayin'.

Collymilad @ Nov 9th 2009 9:09PM

NICE.

But keep making Burnout please :P

Mr Khan @ Nov 9th 2009 9:11PM

EA is rallying after those necessary layoffs

And it is a good thing, it seems.

sirpilf @ Nov 9th 2009 9:15PM

nead for speed: burnout? just combine the damn franchises... its not like either of them have stories.

ricky @ Nov 9th 2009 9:25PM

damn i thought they were gonna keep making black

Silicon Siren @ Nov 9th 2009 9:24PM

As long as it has crash mode and isn't a sandbox abomination like Paradise I'm sold!

UNSCleric @ Nov 9th 2009 9:30PM

RIP Burnout. Fuck you EA.

sikbeta @ Nov 9th 2009 9:37PM

I really want to play a NFS like the first Underground, I'll buy it Day One

Buzzkiller @ Nov 9th 2009 9:46PM

best Idea evar!!!

Buzzkiller @ Nov 9th 2009 9:48PM

On second thought, this is probably the end of Burnout Paradise. That's a shame, I fucking love that game.

-Vexx- @ Nov 9th 2009 9:49PM

Need for Burnout?

Burnout for Speed?

Need for Speed: B.U.R.N.O.U.T

There we go

Coogan @ Nov 9th 2009 10:19PM

This idea sounds like it has great potential. I would love to see Criterion make the next Hot Pursuit type game. Cop chases, car crashes, 60% arcade and 40% simulation. The last Burnout game was fun. And if Criterion has been working on this game for a while then this looks to be a high quality game for sure. Definitely a day one purchase.