Need For Speed In Question Now With Criterion Games “Solely Focused” On Battlefield

This past fall, Battlefield returned with ‘Battlefield 6’ and was an instant hit. It revealed record sales for the series on Steam alongside reaching over 7 million units within the first week alone. However, this series has been supported at the expense of another IP: Need for Speed. The first attempt to repair the war shooter’s identity with then-Battlefield 2042, Electronic Arts delayed the next entry of the racer to aid development.

Similarly, the same can be said for Battlefield 6 too. Back in February 2025, Need for Speed was understood to be on hold whilst development was expedited with additional studios joining the development process. Additionally, the publisher also phrased Need for Speed as a “meaningful part of our future”, yet pulls talent for its continued investment into Battlefield.

Now this week, IGN in an interview with Criterion Games shares that the British game studio is completely focused on Battlefield. “We are solely focused on Battlefield,” Rebecka Coutaz, vice president & general manager of Battlefield Studios Europe said. There is also a new logo for the developer which reads “Criterion: a Battlefield Studio” in its Guildford office.

“Yes, it used to be cars and less guns. But it’s the overall player experience that we are sharing with the same intensity,” Coutaz also shared. She continues: “The creative vision is really the heart. It has to be very clear to the teams, no matter if they are based in LA, Montreal, Manchester, Guildford, what kind of game we’re making. […] Each studio will make their best job, and they will thrive when I can allow them to apply their identity to the part of the game that they are working on.”

Although Criterion Games shows to be embracing this change for the developer, it is still – on a surface level – a decision made by Electronic Arts. This is not the only interference revealed recently. It was reported in May that the publisher walled efforts for XBOX Game Pass to feature a Family Plan due to disagreements set by the firm. You can read the full report by heading here.

Are you surprised by these turn of events for Criterion Games ahead of its 30th anniversary?

Source: IGN