Need for Speed developer Criterion Games
History
The Need for Speed series was originally developed by Distinctive Software, a video game studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. Prior to Electronic Arts' purchase of the company in 1991, it had created popular racing games such as Stunts and Test Drive II: The Duel. After the purchase, the company was renamed Electronic Arts (EA) Canada. The company capitalized on its experience in the domain by developing the Need for Speed series in late 1992.EA Canada continued to develop and expand the Need for Speed franchise up to 2002, when another Vancouver-based developer, named Black Box Games, was acquired by EA and contracted to continue the series with Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit 2.Later, Slightly Mad Studios was brought in, releasing Need for Speed: Shift in 2009, followed by a sequel, Shift 2: Unleashed, in 2011. UK-based company Criterion Games would release Hot Pursuit in 2010. The game introduced a social platform, titled Autolog, which allows players to track game progress, view leaderboards, share screenshots with friends, among other features.At E3 2012, Criterion Games vice president Alex Ward announced that random developers would no longer be developing NFS titles. Ward wouldn't confirm that all Need for Speed games in the future would be developed entirely by Criterion, but he did say the studio would have "strong involvement" in them and would have control over which NFS titles would be released in the future.In August 2013, following the downsizing of Criterion Games, Swedish developer Ghost Games would become the main studio for the franchise and oversee future development. At the time, 80% of Ghost Games' work force consisted of former Criterion Games employees. Ghost Games would develop Need for Speed Rivals, Need for Speed reboot, Need for Speed Payback, and Need for Speed Heat (2013-2019).
In February 2020, Criterion regained oversight of the franchise.As of 2021, several entries in the franchise such as Carbon, Undercover, Shift, Shift 2: Unleashed and The Run became no longer to purchase from any online stores, and their online servers were shut down on August 31.Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit (2010)
Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit was developed by British games developer Criterion Games and published by Electronic Arts in 2010. It focuses on racing and police chases rather than car customization. The game won many awards at the E3 2010, including "Best Racing Game", becoming the first game in the NFS series since the original Hot Pursuit to win an E3 award.
There were over 60 cars, most available to both racers and cops, but a few were exclusive to either side. Unlike previous NFS titles, there was no customization, and the game takes place in a fictional rural area called Seacrest County, which the "free roam" feature lets you explore. Hot Pursuit allows play as either police or racer. The game also features many weapons, with some exclusive to the cops or racers. The biggest feature introduced was Autolog, which tracked player progressions and recommended events to play. In addition to its statistical system, Autolog also features Facebook-like speedwalls where players can post their comments and photos while in the game. Hot Pursuit has received some of the best reviews of the series.
The Limited Edition gives players exclusive access to the Alfa Romeo 8C Competizione and Ford Shelby GT500. Various downloadable content was released for the game.
A remastered version of the game, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered, was released in November 2020 for PlayStation 4, Xbox One, Nintendo Switch, and Microsoft Windows. It features cross-platform multiplayer, enhanced visuals, quality-of-life improvements, all main DLC from the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions, the return of Autolog, and 4K support for PlayStation 4 Pro, Xbox One X, and Windows.Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012)
Need for Speed: Most Wanted was developed by British games developer Criterion Games, and released in 2012. The game picked up on the Most Wanted IP, as opposed to the Hot Pursuit extension. This was the first game made subsequent to Criterion Games taking over the NFS series from Black Box.
It features open-world racing, and most of the cars in the game are available from the start, hidden in different locations. It also features a blacklist of 10 instead of 15, and there is no story or visual customization for the game. It is powered by Autolog 2.0. Performance upgrades are available for all the cars in the game, such as chassis, tires, nitrous, and bodywork. Milestones and achievements are unlocked through a variety of ways, e.g. completion of races and breaking through billboards.Need for Speed Rivals (2013)
Need for Speed: Rivals was developed by Ghost Games (formerly EA Gothenburg) in association with Criterion Games, and was released in 2013 for the PlayStation 4,  Microsoft Windows, PlayStation 3, Xbox 360, and Xbox One. It runs on DICE's Frostbite 3 Engine. It has the same basic concept as Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, but with new features like the AllDrive system, and several pursuit techs.Need for Speed Unbound (2022)
Revealed by EA in October 2022, Need for Speed Unbound is developed by Criterion with assistance from Codemasters. The game features a cel-shaded art style for its characters and vehicle effects while retaining the photo-realistic look of the cars from previous games. The map is based in a fictional city inspired by Chicago called Lakeshore City. The game was released on the PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S and PC on December 2, 2022. American rapper ASAP Rocky appears as a character in the storyline, driving a modified Mercedes 190E.
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