Electronic Arts is full speed ahead on the development of new Need for Speed video games, it would seem, as the company has officially merged the development team at Codemasters Cheshire into Criterion Games. The two teams at both locations will be under the Criterion Games studio brand and work together on the future of Need for Speed. The merger of Codemasters Cheshire into Criterion Games follows theย completed acquisition of Codemasters by Electronic Arts early last year.
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“This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months,” an EA spokesperson told GamesIndustry.biz about the merge of the teams. “Sharing common values and similar cultures, we strongly believe unifying the huge wealth of experience across both teams will help us to deliver the best racing experiences we can for our players.”
A new Need for Speed video game was officially announced as in development back in 2020 at Criterion Games alongside the conclusion of updates for Need for Speed Heat. The expectation is that the title, which has not yet been fully revealed, could release at some point later this year. Beyond that, not much in the way of official information is available about the new Need for Speed video game.
“As we at Criterion shift gears into the future with full focus on developing the next Need for Speed game, this will be the final update for Need for Speed Heat,” stated Matt Webster, General Manager of Criterion Games, when the new Need for Speed was announced. “Since the launch of Need for Speed Heat and as players continue to tear it up in Palm City, we’re listening to what you love about this experience, and what you all believe could be even better. With these insights, we have a terrific foundation to create the most expressive, most socially connected, action-packed game yet for Need for Speed fans and beyond.” ย
The new Need for Speed, whatever it might end up being called, is expected to release for the PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X|S at least. It is currently unclear whether it might also release for the PlayStation 4, Xbox One, and PC. You can check out all of our previous coverage of the Need for Speed franchise in general right here.
What do you think about Electronic Arts bringing Codemasters Cheshire into the Criterion Games fold? Are you looking forward to learning more about the upcoming video game in the near future? Let us know in the comments, or feel free to reach out and hit me up directly over on Twitter at @rollinbishop in order to talk about all things gaming!
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Image Credit: Mad Cave Studios
