It looks like EA-owned developer Criterion is already working on a new Need for Speed game following Need for Speed Unbound. And it looks like this Need for Speed game will be open-world. EA and Criterion haven’t said what’s next for the latter, but many assume it’s going to be more Need for Speed. To this end, a job listing out of Criterion all but confirms as much. The UK developer is currently looking to hire a World Artist who will help “take the Need for Speed franchise to the next level.” The job listing also mentions the “exciting endeavor to create an open world.”
“With a proud history working on beloved franchises including Battlefield, Star Wars Battlefront and Burnout, we’re now challenging the conventions of the racing genre to take the Need For Speed franchise to the next level,” reads the job listing. “We are looking for an experienced World Artist to help us on our new and exciting endeavour to create an open world offering the player a fast, visceral and authentic experience.”
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The job listing, unfortunately, doesn’t mention else of note, but it does say it’s hoping to hire someone with “an appreciation or knowledge of architecture, urban planning, and visual design.” The use of “urban planning” suggests the game could take place in a city, or at least partially. This isn’t very surprising, but it is worth noting.ย
At the moment of publishing, neither Criterion nor EA have commented on this job listing and the speculation it has created. We don’t anticipate this changing, but if it does, we will be sure to update the story accordingly. In the meantime, take the speculation here with a grain of salt.ย
As you may know, the most recent Need for Speed game began with realistic graphics. It’s unclear when this was dumped in favor of a highly stylized visual presentation. Whatever the case, it remains to be seen if this new game will return back to realism or continue to keep the series stylized. As always, feel free to leave a comment letting us know which you would prefer.
H/T, Reddit.
