Something went wrong. Try again later

Giant Bomb News

44 Comments

Criterion Has A Need For Speed

A brief mention on a conference call confirms a rumor as the Burnout guys get officially tied to EA's other racing series.

You know, maybe it'd be cool if you put this guy in it? I don't know, just spitballing here.
You know, maybe it'd be cool if you put this guy in it? I don't know, just spitballing here.
G4's Patrick Klepek listens to webcasts so you don't have to. Or, really, so I don't have to. And for that, I salute him! EA's COO, John Pleasants, spoke at the William Blair Growth Stock Conference this morning, and in the process, he confirmed the previous rumor that placed Burnout developer Criterion on another game in the long-running Need for Speed series.

Here's what Pleasants had to say:
"We've taken the Burnout team and combined it with our Need For Speed franchise. So we now have that in our favor because that Burnout team is probably one of the more online-centric and notably high-quality game developers that we have out at Criterion."
Back when EA announced a pile of Need For Speed games to denote the game's different directions, a secret fourth NFS game was mentioned with no detail behind it. Looks like we now know who's working on that one. But what sort of game will it be? Surely they won't just make another Burnout game and slap the NFS name onto it, right? Right? No, seriously, they won't, right?

The specific mention of the "online-centric" nature of Criterion seems like it could make for an interesting non-crash-focused driving game. Those online features in Burnout Paradise and the team's persistent dedication to downloadable additions are a big part of why I've probably spent more hours playing Burnout Paradise than all of the Need For Speed games combined.

But if I may get cynical for a moment and jump the gun on a game that hasn't even been announced, let alone detailed, a Burnout-style game without a heavy focus on crashing doesn't sound like much fun.
Jeff Gerstmann on Google+

44 Comments

Avatar image for jeff
jeff

6357

Forum Posts

107208

Wiki Points

176239

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 20

Edited By jeff
You know, maybe it'd be cool if you put this guy in it? I don't know, just spitballing here.
You know, maybe it'd be cool if you put this guy in it? I don't know, just spitballing here.
G4's Patrick Klepek listens to webcasts so you don't have to. Or, really, so I don't have to. And for that, I salute him! EA's COO, John Pleasants, spoke at the William Blair Growth Stock Conference this morning, and in the process, he confirmed the previous rumor that placed Burnout developer Criterion on another game in the long-running Need for Speed series.

Here's what Pleasants had to say:
"We've taken the Burnout team and combined it with our Need For Speed franchise. So we now have that in our favor because that Burnout team is probably one of the more online-centric and notably high-quality game developers that we have out at Criterion."
Back when EA announced a pile of Need For Speed games to denote the game's different directions, a secret fourth NFS game was mentioned with no detail behind it. Looks like we now know who's working on that one. But what sort of game will it be? Surely they won't just make another Burnout game and slap the NFS name onto it, right? Right? No, seriously, they won't, right?

The specific mention of the "online-centric" nature of Criterion seems like it could make for an interesting non-crash-focused driving game. Those online features in Burnout Paradise and the team's persistent dedication to downloadable additions are a big part of why I've probably spent more hours playing Burnout Paradise than all of the Need For Speed games combined.

But if I may get cynical for a moment and jump the gun on a game that hasn't even been announced, let alone detailed, a Burnout-style game without a heavy focus on crashing doesn't sound like much fun.
Avatar image for morningdrive
morningdrive

203

Forum Posts

17

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By morningdrive

the last good need for speed game was most wanted. If criterion is working on a new need for speed game what is going to happen to the burnout license?

Avatar image for rinkalicous
rinkalicous

1361

Forum Posts

7524

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By rinkalicous

I guess it's time to find out if I dislike need for speed because of the people who made it, or i simply dislike need for speed because the game mechanics do nothing for me.

Avatar image for innacces14
innacces14

853

Forum Posts

14

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By innacces14

True.

Avatar image for thebigbopper
TheBigBopper

74

Forum Posts

1769

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By TheBigBopper

i doubt they will make another burnout game in next 2 years or so criterion takes there time with sequels e.g. black

Avatar image for mattyftm
MattyFTM

14914

Forum Posts

67415

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 11

Edited By MattyFTM  Moderator

Criterion should be able to do the series justice.

Avatar image for rhcpfan24
RHCPfan24

8663

Forum Posts

22301

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 16

User Lists: 8

Edited By RHCPfan24

I don't know about you, but I just want to play Big Surf Island.

Avatar image for kitsune_conundrum
kitsune_conundrum

1240

Forum Posts

1608

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

NFS:BO or BO:NFS?

Avatar image for aaron_g
Aaron_G

1694

Forum Posts

3259

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 6

Edited By Aaron_G

A good Need for Speed game finally?

Avatar image for lordandrew
LordAndrew

14609

Forum Posts

98305

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 36

Edited By LordAndrew

Doesn't EA have enough Need for Speed titles in the works?

Avatar image for bigandtasty
Bigandtasty

3146

Forum Posts

6987

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 3

Edited By Bigandtasty

not very excited, not sure how criterion will make the transition and not sure what this will do to the burnout series


but i guess i'll just wait until the final product comes out
Avatar image for greggd
GreggD

4596

Forum Posts

981

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By GreggD

@RHCPfan: Yeah, I concur. Though, it will be interesting to see what they do with the Need For Speed license.

Avatar image for gamer_152
gamer_152

15037

Forum Posts

74588

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 71

User Lists: 6

Edited By gamer_152  Moderator

I'm a bit skeptical about this one. Burnout Paradise was an excellent driving game but I'm not as into the NFS series, it'll be interesting to see how this one works out.

Avatar image for supermooseman
SuperMooseman

617

Forum Posts

-1

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 38

User Lists: 0

Edited By SuperMooseman

I just want Need for Speed to go back to how it should be.
Huge, varied open world.
Police chases.
Razor Callahan.

Avatar image for jimbo
Jimbo

10472

Forum Posts

2

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Jimbo

Need For Speed: Razor's Revenge - Totally Burnout Edition

Why not just let 'Burnout' become their flagship racing brand?  'Need For Speed' is totally Top Gun... and not in a good way.

Avatar image for agentboolen
agentboolen

1995

Forum Posts

12

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By agentboolen

EA is trying too hard to keep the Need For Speed license a live, let it die already most of those games suck anyway. Rather be playing Burnout!!!

Avatar image for toyboxx
TOYBOXX

327

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 7

User Lists: 1

Edited By TOYBOXX

I've personally lost interest with the Need for Speed franchise when they implemented driving for pink slips. It seemed that they were trying to cash-in on the The Fast and the Furious craze at the time which killed it for me. Burnout, on the other hand, was what I wanted and Paradise delivered. Whatever they do with NFS I don't care. I've got Burnout and that's all that matters right now. 

Avatar image for nadril
Nadril

649

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 1

Edited By Nadril

A burnout style game with cop chases in an open world would be very, very awesome.

Avatar image for bcrt2000
bcrt2000

71

Forum Posts

4

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By bcrt2000

Sounds like a TDU competitor.

Avatar image for platypusplatoon
PlatypusPlatoon

106

Forum Posts

157

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By PlatypusPlatoon

I hope to God this doesn't mean the end of the Burnout series.  EA wouldn't go so far as to mess that up...   right?

Avatar image for silvershadow
SilverShadow

219

Forum Posts

909

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 6

Edited By SilverShadow

Razor Callahan + Criterion = Best NFS ever

Avatar image for coleslaw893
Coleslaw893

459

Forum Posts

226

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 17

Edited By Coleslaw893

What is this? A possibly good Need For Speed game on the horizon?

Avatar image for torus
torus

1106

Forum Posts

6

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By torus

Totally Speed, Totally Burnout.

Avatar image for 1_879_116_9420
1_879_116_9420

124

Forum Posts

24

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 4

Edited By 1_879_116_9420

Burnout Paradise cops/robbers expansion seemed to please you guys in the quick look. I trust these guys to make a good Need For Speed game, and if there is one thing Burnout is lacking it is characters like Razor and Cross (in place of DJ Annoy and Annoyer)

Avatar image for kohe321
Kohe321

3569

Forum Posts

1444

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 0

Edited By Kohe321

Awesome, the game will probably awesome. NFS needs that.

Avatar image for rio
Rio

605

Forum Posts

291

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By Rio

Criterion with licensed cars?  Im on board.

Avatar image for galv
Galv

428

Forum Posts

20

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 0

Edited By Galv

Man I just want a new Burnout game. The Need for Speed games are not for me, I have tried them but never liked any of  them. In fact the only racing games that I have been able to enjoy in recent years have been the Burnout games, mainly because when you crash it looks fucking awesome!

Avatar image for iamjohn
iamjohn

6297

Forum Posts

13905

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By iamjohn

I'm glad Burnout is taking a break.  I don't need a new Burnout Paradise any time soon, and I know for certain that Criterion isn't going to give me what I really want with the next Burnout (Burnout Revenge 2).  I hope Criterion is going in the more ridiculous, white-knuckle run-from-the-cops style of NFS, though, since that's the only Need For Speed I like (or rather, Hot Pursuit 2 and Most Wanted are the only Need For Speeds I like).

Avatar image for lordofultima
lordofultima

6592

Forum Posts

25303

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 4

User Lists: 9

Edited By lordofultima

This blows. Stay with Burnout, Paradise was the best racing game in existence.

Avatar image for iamjohn
iamjohn

6297

Forum Posts

13905

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 5

Edited By iamjohn

@lordofultima: They shouldn't try something new and different from their wheelhouse just because their last game was awesome?  That's an incredibly stupid thing to say.

Avatar image for media_master
Media_Master

3259

Forum Posts

0

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 0

Edited By Media_Master

Burnout should stick to its crashes

Avatar image for hagridore
hagridore

529

Forum Posts

481

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 21

Edited By hagridore

We need more Razor Callahan.

Avatar image for insanejedi
insanejedi

781

Forum Posts

777

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 14

User Lists: 0

Edited By insanejedi

We need a Need for Speed that isn't some bolt on wonder boy looking to get smoked by reviewers.

Avatar image for krisgebis
krisgebis

239

Forum Posts

108

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By krisgebis

The last good NFS was Underground (1). Everything from there has been shit. The last good before NFS:U was Porche Challenge. And up until that, every main title was a hit.
I don't know if they can bring it back, or if the world has just evolved past the NFS franchise.

Avatar image for jackel2072
Jackel2072

2510

Forum Posts

370

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 11

Edited By Jackel2072

EA is just throwing everything at the wall and seeing if something sticks! To be honest i have not enjoyed a need for speed game in quite a while. the last NFS game i played and enjoyed was Underground, but mainly because the Fast and The Furious just came out, and the game satisfied that tuner craving i had after seeing that movie. I will remain optimistic though, i mean its criteron games. The news does make me a little sad, i really do want them to take another shot at making a Black game again.

Avatar image for kuddles
kuddles

100

Forum Posts

78

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 1

User Lists: 1

Edited By kuddles

Guys, this is actually a good thing if you think about it.  You might prefer Burnout but the average consumer doesn't.  Even with the last Need for Speed having the most disappointing sales ever, it still sold much better then Burnout Paradise.  This move just lets Criterion make another great racing game but find a bigger audience due to the more popular brand name.

Avatar image for ghostnpc
ghostNPC

803

Forum Posts

23

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By ghostNPC

Great. Now the cursed NFS franchise will infect Criterion with it's mainstream blandness and irritating Fast and Furious hiphop bullshit. Oh well, it was a good developer while it lasted.

Avatar image for kajaah117
Kajaah117

1073

Forum Posts

18

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Kajaah117

Woah, I must have missed something. Since when is Patrick working for G4? That's awesome.

Avatar image for kayrack
Kayrack

371

Forum Posts

370

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 3

Edited By Kayrack

i hope they keep working on burnout. 

Avatar image for canucks23
canucks23

1081

Forum Posts

5

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 0

User Lists: 2

Edited By canucks23

Ok... if this isn't just the next Burnout, with the NFS name, i'm gonna go cry in a corner for a little while.

Avatar image for ferrarimanf355
ferrarimanf355

490

Forum Posts

787

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 2

User Lists: 5

Edited By ferrarimanf355

Criterion should be making a new Road Rash game, and NFS should be left to Slightly Mad Studios. That is all.

Avatar image for grilledcheez
grilledcheez

4071

Forum Posts

906

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 8

User Lists: 9

Edited By grilledcheez

Great, with Criterion at the reigns, this game has a chance to be good.

Avatar image for death_unicorn
Death_Unicorn

2879

Forum Posts

12136

Wiki Points

0

Followers

Reviews: 3

User Lists: 6

Edited By Death_Unicorn

Meh, I've lost track of how many Need for Speeds there are...