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Criterion Battlefield Studio Shift Marks a New Era
Criterion Games appears to have fully entered its next era, and it may not be the one long-time racing fans were hoping for. For decades, Criterion was closely tied to high-speed racing. The UK studio built its name through Burnout, later took on major Need for Speed entries, and most recently led Need for Speed Unbound, whose bold visual style helped give EA’s racing series one of its more distinctive modern identities.
However, the studio’s future now appears to be firmly tied to the Battlefield series. According to IGN Nordic’s interview with Rebecka Coutaz, VP and General Manager of Battlefield Studios Europe, the studio is now solely focused on EA’s military shooter franchise.
Criterion: A Battlefield Studio Makes the Direction Clear
The clearest sign of that shift is reportedly visible inside Criterion Games itself. The press outlet noted that the office now carries updated branding reading “Criterion: A Battlefield Studio”, replacing the broader identity many fans still associate with Burnout and Need for Speed.
That does not come completely out of nowhere. The studio has supported Battlefield before, including work on Battlefield 1, Battlefield V, Battlefield 2042, and the current Battlefield pipeline. EA also moved Criterion into EA Entertainment in 2023 so the studio could work more closely on the franchise under its wider entertainment studios group. What feels different now is the finality of the message. This no longer sounds like Criterion Games helping with Battlefield while keeping one foot in racing; it sounds like Battlefield is the job.
Need for Speed Looks Further Away Than Ever
That leaves Need for Speed in an uncomfortable place.EA previously said the racing series would return in “new and interesting ways”, even as Criterion Games became fully engaged with Battlefield. However, with Coutaz now making clear that Criterion is solely focused on Battlefield, there is no obvious sign of a new Need for Speed being actively led by the studio.
That does not mean the franchise is officially cancelled. EA has not announced the end of Need for Speed, nor has it confirmed which studio could handle the series next, but the lack of a clear developer makes the future feel increasingly uncertain. For a franchise once known for regular releases, the silence is becoming harder for fans to ignore.
Burnout Fans Have Even Less to Hold On To
If Need for Speed fans are worried, Burnout fans have been living with this uncertainty for far longer. Criterion Games’ crash-heavy racing series remains one of the studio’s most beloved creations, but the last original mainline entry was Burnout Paradise. Since then, the franchise has lived mostly through nostalgia, remasters, and the reputation it still carries among arcade racing fans.
Criterion’s move deeper into Battlefield makes a new Burnout feel even less likely in the near future. EA could always revive the name elsewhere, but the emotional connection between Burnout and Criterion Games is a major reason fans still care.
EA Is Betting Big on Battlefield
From EA’s perspective, the decision is easy to understand. Battlefield remains one of the publisher’s biggest brands, and after the uneven response to Battlefield 2042, the company has been rebuilding the franchise with multiple studios involved.
Criterion brings technical expertise, cinematic action instincts, vehicle handling experience, and a long history of making movement feel fast and impactful. Those strengths can absolutely help Battlefield. The cost is what gets left behind. For racing fans, Criterion Games becoming a dedicated Battlefield studio feels like the closing of a door, even if EA has not officially locked away Need for Speed or Burnout.
