Need for Speed Studio Is 'Solely Focused on Battlefield' Now and Maybe Forever

July 8, 2026 - 22:34

Criterion Games, the studio behind the arcade racing classics Burnout and the recent Need for Speed titles, has officially been rebranded as a Battlefield studio. The team is now "solely focused on Battlefield" with no plans to return to racing games, according to a statement from the developer. This effectively kills any lingering hope for a new Burnout or a fresh Need for Speed entry from the original creators.

The shift has been in motion for years. Criterion helped with Battlefield 2042's live service content and later worked on the single-player campaign for Battlefield 6. Now the rebranding is complete, and the studio's identity is fully absorbed into Electronic Arts' military shooter franchise. For fans of high-speed arcade racing, this is a tough pill to swallow. Burnout Paradise remains a cult favorite, and the last Need for Speed game from Criterion was 2012's Most Wanted. Since then, the series has bounced between other developers with mixed results.

The statement from the studio suggests this is not a temporary assignment. The language used implies that Criterion will remain a Battlefield studio indefinitely. There is no mention of a future racing project, no hint of a side team working on something else. It is all Battlefield, all the time. For those holding out hope that the team might sneak in a new Burnout between military shooters, that window appears to be permanently closed.