A Codemasters Studio Has Merged With Criterion To Develop New Need For Speed

Criterion Games acquired Codemasters Cheshire in order to develop Need For Speed new games. 

EA revealed in March 2021 that its next Need For Speed title would be delayed until 2021, and then into 2022. This was so Criterion can concentrate on Battlefield 2042 with DICE. EA also confirmed that it expected to release a new Need For Speed in 2019. It revealed that there are four unreleased games that will be available between January 2023-2023. We now have an update on the future status of the franchise. 

“Criterion Games is now collaborating with Codemasters Cheshire to build the future. Need For Speed, forming one Criterion studio with two location hubs,” Codemasters writes in a series of tweets. “This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months. Sharing common values and similar cultures, we strongly believe unifying the huge wealth of expertise across both teams will help us to deliver the best racing experiences we can for our players.” 

As you can see, Codemasters and Criterion have been working together on Need For Speed, which is due to be released this year, according to the tweets. It wouldn’t be surprising if this new studio team-up were doing just that, but as it stands in these tweets, it seems the merged studio is looking ahead to the future of the Need For Speed franchise. 

Personally, I hope that future includes a return to the Underground series or maybe even just a remaster of the first Underground – whatever it takes to listen to Lil Jon’s “Get Low” again while driving around a neon-lit, nighttime city, to be honest. 

How do you see Need For Speed in the future? Leave us a comment below with your thoughts!