The Pre-release period for Need for Speed: Unbound included multiple hints during earning reports, leaks, and rumours prior to its official announcement on October 6, 2022.
2022[]
Drop 9: "NFS Launch"[]
[]
On November 27, 2022, a 24 hour countdown began for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.
Article[]
Drop 9, dubbed "NFS Launch", is an article posted to the official Need for Speed website on November 28, 2022 with generral release information about the Palace Edition release, the standard game release, gameplay, and the Lane Changers Club.[1]
Drop 8: "The Heat List"[]
[]
On November 17, 2022, a 24 hour countdown began for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.
On November 18, 2022, posts by official Need for Speed social media accounts linked to the "Under the Hood: Lakeshore Online" article and included a gameplay teaser trailer[2]
"Under the Hood: Lakeshore Online"[]
An article titled "Under The Hood: Run These Streets" went live on November 18, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[3]
It expands on the online multiplayer suite, gameplay, and progression in "Lakeshore Online".
"Speed Race Gameplay" Trailer[]
Drop 8, dubbed "The Heat List", is a video posted to the official Need for Speed website and YouTube account on November 22, 2022 showcasing gameplay.
The trailer highlights the single-player gameplay loop of racing, betting, and evading the police.[4]
"Under the Hood: Get Ready to Race"[]
An article titled "Under the Hood: Get Ready to Race" went live on November 22, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[5]
It lists the timeframe in which preload is made available for each console and PC store release, as well as the release time within certain time zones, and the content available with either the EA Play or EA Play Pro subscription.
Drop 7: "Freedom in the Flow"[]
[]
On November 13, 2022, a 24 hour countdown began for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.
Article[]
Drop 7, dubbed "Freedom in the Flow", is an article posted to the official Need for Speed website on November 14, 2022 revealing the official soundtrack for the game.[6]
Drop 6: "Run These Streets"[]
[]
On November 7, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a short video teasing Drop 6 and a 24 hour countdown for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.[7]
Article[]
Drop 6, dubbed "Run These Streets", is an article posted to the official Need for Speed website on November 8, 2022 and outlines the Takeover event type.
An official gameplay trailer was also posted to multiple Electronic Arts and Need for Speed social media accounts.[8]
"Under The Hood: Run These Streets"[]
An article titled "Under The Hood: Run These Streets" went live on November 10, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[9]
It expands on the Takeover event type, event types, activities in Lakeshore, challenges, and collectibles.
Drop 5: "Express Yourself"[]
[]
On October 31, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a short video teasing Drop 5 and a 24 hour countdown for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.[10]
"Palace Skateboards Brings the Steez"[]
An article titled "Palace Skateboards Brings the Steez" went live on November 1, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[11]
The article promotes the Palace Edition release of Need for Speed: Unbound and lists the content included with the special edition release.
"Style is Your Vibe"[]
An article titled "Style is Your Vibe" went live on November 2, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[12]
Following on from the article expanding on the content included in the Palace Edition, another article was posted promoting the fashion brands appearing in Need for Speed: Unbound and a fashion collection from Namilia being released at a later date.[13]
PlayStation.Blog Article[]
An article titled "How the PS5 brings Lakeshore to life in Need for Speed Unbound" was published to the official PlayStation Blog website on November 4, 2022 giving greater insight into the exhaust sound customisation and included a small snippet of gameplay.[14]
Drop 4: "Pull Up, Ride Out"[]
[]
On October 24, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a short video teasing Drop 4 and a 24 hour countdown for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.[15]
Clips[]
On October 25, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a collection of short clips showcasing vehicle customisation[16] and a customisation section was added to the official Need for Speed website.[17]
"Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off"[]
An article titled "Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off" went live on October 28, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[18]
It expands on the content shown in Drop 4 including character, driver effects, and performance customisation.
Drop 3: "Roll the Dice"[]
[]
On October 17, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a short video teasing Drop 3 and a 24 hour countdown for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.[19]
Trailer[]
Drop 3, dubbed "Roll the Dice", is a trailer posted to official Need for Speed social media accounts on October 18, 2022 and shows how the player progresses through the career; Qualifiers, police pursuits, and side bets.
"Under the Hood: Turn Up the Heat"[]
An article titled "Under the Hood: Turn Up the Heat" went live on October 21, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[20]
It expands on the content shown in Drop 3, highlighting how Qualifiers and The Grand function as the player progresses through each week of the career, highlights how Heat is retained by the player, outlines the units utilised by the Lakeshore Police Department, and showcases how side bets can be used by the player to earn extra bank.
"How to Make More Bank and Get to The Grand in Need for Speed Unbound"[]
An article titled "How to Make More Bank and Get to The Grand in Need for Speed Unbound" went live on October 21, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[21]
It reiterates content previously shown in Drop 3, with a greater explanation of Burst Nitrous and Qualifier failure.
Drop 2: "The World is Your Canvas"[]
[]
On October 10, 2022, the official Need for Speed social media accounts posted a short video teasing Drop 2 and a 24 hour countdown for an article going live on the official Need for Speed website.[22]
Article[]
Drop 2, dubbed "The World is Your Canvas", is an article posted to the official Need for Speed website on October 11, 2022 and outlines the unique graffiti visuals referred to as "driving effects".
An official trailer was also posted to multiple Electronic Arts and Need for Speed social media accounts.[23]
"Under the Hood: Welcome to Need for Speed Unbound"[]
An article titled "Under the Hood: Welcome to Need for Speed Unbound" went live on October 14, 2022 on the official Need for Speed website.[24]
It expands on the content previously shown of the game including it running at sixty frames-per-second, a "Burst Nitrous" mechanic, expands on the Lakeshore environment, highlights multiplayer gameplay, and outlines Meetups.
Drop 1: "Need for Speed Unbound Reveal"[]
Need for Speed: Unbound was officially revealed on October 6, 2022. Alongside the reveal, the official Need for Speed website was updated with articles announcing the game titled Change Your Land In Need For Speed Unbound[25], the official car list[26], and a map of Lakeshore. [27]
Reveal Trailer Leak[]
On October 6, 2022, the reveal trailer for Need for Speed: Unbound was released over an hour early following an accidental listing of the game on amazon.it.
Neowing Leak[]
On October 5, 2022, a store listing on neowing.co.jp, a Japanese e-commerce website, briefly appeared for Need for Speed: Unbound.[28] The listing included the game's title, box art, several promotional images, a product description in Japanese, pre-order bonuses, and a release date.
The pre-order incentive includes bonus Driving Effects, a licence plate, banner and sticker artwork, and $150,000 CASH for use in multiplayer.
Various cars were depicted in the promotional images including the BMW M3 Evolution II, Mercedes-AMG G 63, Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16, Mitsubishi Eclipse GSX, Nissan Silvia K's Aero, and a Dodge Charger SRT8 also shown as a police vehicle.
| “ | Beat the clock, outsmart the cops, and compete in weekly qualifiers for Lakeshore's ultimate street racing challenge: The Grand. Fill your garage with precision-tuned custom machines, put on your own style and exclusive looks, and light up the streets with a soundtrack that resonates from every corner of the world. The world is your canvas: Bringing graffiti to life in a completely new visual style, merging the latest street art with the most realistic cars in Need for Speed history. Access a new toolkit full of energetic visuals and sound effects, including Burst Nitrous, a new boost element for dizzying speed. Display your full potential and express yourself: Go to meetups and show off your style with many items, including limited edition gear, from the world's latest fashion. Then add the finishing touches to your car's style, transforming it with unique wraps and cut-out items to match your legendary custom car, and take the lead in races and put your winning pose above the competition. Find your freedom with the flow: A soundtrack featuring pioneering artists in the modern HIPHOP scene, including A$AP Rocky and AWGE, presents creative songs that transcend genre boundaries. Deliver. The original music was produced by French producer Brodinsky. The songs, which are closely related to various HIPHOP expressions from around the world, embody the underground culture itself, which can be said to be the heart of Lake Shore. |
” |
— neowing.co.jp listing[28]
| ||
[]
On October 4, 2022, the official social media channels for Need for Speed each posted a short video teaser to promote the reveal of the game. As part of the short teaser, a reveal date was announced of October 6, 2022 at 8am (PDT) / 5pm (CEST) / 15:00 (UTC).
The teaser video features the new "NFS" logo design in a graffiti stylised ident animation with an instrumental version of the song "Shittin' Me", an unreleased track by A$AP Rocky.[29]
As well as releasing a teaser trailer, the official Need for Speed website was changed to a countdown timer for the upcoming reveal trailer, and a short piece of text was given below the timer. As part of the leadup to the reveal, the box art for Need for Speed: Payback, Need for Speed: Heat, and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit Remastered were also changed to feature their logos in a green hue against a desaturated background with the exception of each game's hero car, although which games were altered differs between digital storefronts.
| “ | NEED FOR SPEED™: COMING SOON Join us on October 6 at 5pm CEST, 8am PT and experience the evolution of Need for Speed™ from Criterion Games. |
” |
— Official Need for Speed website
| ||
Inadvertently, prior to the teaser video being released, the official Need for Speed website briefly featured the key art, logo, and title for the game, but all were quickly removed. All of which highlighted the game being titled Need for Speed: Unbound.
The key art depicts a custom Mercedes-Benz 190E 2.5-16 emitting two-tone coloured tyre smoke shaded in the style of a comic book cover. Although fitted with a custom body kit, the 190E depicted on the key art features a New York licence plate with "A$-AP" and is reminiscent of A$AP Rocky's own 190E.[30]
(Animated Ident)
(Website)
New Logo[]
On October 3, 2022, all official Need for Speed social media channels changed their profile and background images showcasing a new logo design.
September Leak[]
On September 29, 2022, an article written by Tom Henderson with regards to the game's name and releases date was published on Insider Gaming.[31]
It reveals the game's title to be Need for Speed: Unbound with an official reveal likely to take place in early October 2022 in the form of a 90 second trailer including music by rapper A$AP Rocky.
Alongside revealing the title and a reveal window, it also outlines a December 2, 2022 release date and the game will not be made available for the PlayStation 4 or Xbox One consoles.
August Leak[]
On August 25, 2022, a post on the r/GamingLeaksAndRumours subreddit listed event types believed to be featured in Criterion's Need for Speed (2022) title.
The post highlights the reintroduction of Speedcross, a game mode featured in Need for Speed: Payback; an upgrade system with performance tiers, similar to car classes in Need for Speed: World; and "Car Meets", in which players can enter a car meet location to compete against other drivers and place wagers.[32]
Also included in the reddit post are images of a Chevrolet Bel Air Sport Coupe against a structure with a set of punk rock aesthetic wings from either side of the car, and a second showing the game's setting with a harsh red monochrome and an all white body car with an overlaid image corruption.
Following the post, a video was leaked onto imgur showing the video the images originate from, in which a Bel Air is failing a jump and crashing into an artistic structure.[33][34] The video shows the use of punk art and pop art elements relating to the player's actions, with a skull and crossbones highlighting they've crashed, and multiple pedestrians walking around next to the artistic structure.
On the same day as the reddit posts, Jeff Grubb revealed during Giant Bomb's Game Mess Mornings show that Criterion's Need for Speed was planning for a November 2022 release but had been delayed until December 2022, and the delay also includes adding extra time before revealing the game. He was unable to disclose an exact reason behind the delay but speculated it may be related to the amount of time Criterion worked on Battlefield 2042.
| “ | Here's what's coming in Q3 and Q4; our fiscal Q3, so Need for Speed, and I remember saying at the time: yeah, the plan is November. Well they delayed it to December - one month - and they are gonna take a few extra weeks before showing it off. | ” |
— Jeff Grubb, Giant Bomb[35]
| ||
Codemasters Tweet[]
On May 11, 2022, the official Codemasters Twitter account posted a series of tweets announcing the Codemasters Chesire team would be integrating with Criterion Games to work on the Need for Speed series.
The Codemasters Cheshire team is based in Runcorn and developed DIRT 5. They were formally Evolution Studios, having worked on the Motorstorm series and Drive Club.
| “ | We can confirm Criterion Games and the development team at Codemasters Cheshire are officially coming together to create the future of @NeedforSpeed, forming one Criterion studio with two location hubs. [1/3] | ” |
— Codemasters (@Codemasters)[36]
| ||
| “ | This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months. [2/3] | ” |
— Codemasters (@Codemasters)[37]
| ||
| “ | 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. [3/3] | ” |
— Codemasters (@Codemasters)[38]
| ||
EA Q4 FY 2022 Earnings Call[]
On May 10, 2022, Electronic Arts held an earnings call for the fourth quarter of their 2022 fiscal year.
In an accompanying presentation, a page highlighting their 2023 fiscal year (FY23) release slate lists Need for Speed within the third quarter (Q3), which is between October 1, 2022 to December 31, 2022.[39]
Debug Map[]
On April 22, 2022, a user on a Discord server with the username "ynk" posted images from a development build.[40][41]
One of the images includes a Mitsubishi Lancer Evolution IX MR FQ-360 parked near a body of water with a view of the Lakeshore City skyline, and the another of a map for the game's setting with debug segment zones overlaid on top of the road network.
GrubbSnax #42[]
In episode 42 of GrubbSnax, published on April 14, 2022, Jeff Grubb reiterated points made by other publications regarding recent leaked information[42]: the game's console releases could only be for "next-generation" devices - PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S - and could have a November release month.
| “ | I got a little bit of details, and those details are still right, I think that's gonna be next-gen only, it's coming out later this year - probably November - that stuff could all; the release date could change absolutely. | ” |
— Jeff Grubb[42]
| ||
He reiterated a previous leak relating to the game's setting potentially being set in Miami, similar to the fictional setting of Need for Speed: Heat, but backtracked on the validity on the information given to him at the time, and denounced it in episode 42.
Following the correction for the game's location, he began listing features and aspects he felt confident were present in the upcoming game, as well as the game taking place in a fictionalised rendition of Chicago called "Lake Shore City". Chicago has previously appeared in Need for Speed: ProStreet and Need for Speed: The Run.
| “ | Let's start with some of the other stuff:
|
” |
— Jeff Grubb[42]
| ||
Autolog's appearance in prior Need for Speed games has been as an asynchronous multiplayer leaderboard for friends to compete against each other outside of traditional multiplayer.
Similar visual effects in a leaked gameplay video published in late 2020[43] follow Jeff's description of "It's going to be photorealistic, but it's going to have - on top of that - there's going to be like "anime" elements".
Closing his segment about Need for Speed, he said "I imagine you're going to hear about this game pretty soon".[42]
Codemasters Cheshire Support[]
On February 10, 2022, a series of tweets by Tom Henderson relayed leaked information from an internal Electronic Arts Town Hall meeting. The tweets highlighted that Codemasters Cheshire - the studio behind both Onrush and DiRT 5 under Codemasters, and previously Evolution Studios prior to their purchase in April 2016 - would be assisting Criterion in the development of the Need for Speed series.[44][45]
2022 Release[]
On January 21, 2022, a tweet by Tom Henderson[46][47] speculated that the release of Criterion's Need for Speed would be within September to October 2022, which is a similar release timeframe for nearly all previous releases in the Need for Speed series, and an October release would place it within the third quarter of Electronic Art's 2023 fiscal year.
2021[]
Kijooki Tweet[]
On December 4, 2021, a tweet by Helene Kiji, a producer at Criterion whom recently joined the studio having moved on from Gameloft, expressed her thanks for a welcoming gift she received from Criterion.[48] The tweets were deleted soon after they were reposted.
| “ | Joli cadeau reçu aujourd'hui 💜🔥 [Nice gift received today 💜🔥] Thank you 😍 |
” |
— Helene Kiji, Producer[49]
| ||
Alongside the thank you message, two images of a Criterion/NFS branded tote bag were included with the tweet, of which two posters of unreleased media relating to Criterion's in-development Need for Speed were underneath it.
One of the posters depicted a red Nissan 200SX (S14) fitted with a chassis mounted spoiler similar to a Street Faction Engineering design, and was surrounded by multiple stickers with a style reminiscent of 1980s punk rock.
Codemasters Cheshire Project[]
On October 10, 2021, it was reported that Codemasters Cheshire had an open position for a Develop Manager, with the role describing that it would be for "the most ambitious and biggest game that Codemasters has made in over a decade".[50]
The role had been open to applications from August 31, 2021.[51]
| “ | Based at our stunning, refurbished studio in Cheshire, near to both Liverpool and Manchester, you will be working closely with the dev team in an internal production capacity. Under the guidance of the Development Director and with support from the production team, you will help handle production of the studios’ next key project – which promises to be the most ambitious and biggest game that Codemasters has made in over a decade! | ” |
— Development Manager role[51]
| ||
EA Q4 2021 Earnings Call[]
On May 11, 2021, Electronic Arts held an earnings call for the fourth quarter of their 2021 fiscal year.
During the call, CEO Andrew Wilson was asked by Mike Hickey about the future of the Need for Speed series with regards to Criterion, to which he, as well as CFO and COO Blake Jorgensen, replied to Criterion's expertise for both the Need for Speed and Battlefield series, alongside noting the recent purchase of Codemasters would add to the series and the company's racing franchises.[52]
| “ | Nice. Excited to play it. Last question for me. I think last call, you noted that development of Battlefield was ahead of expectations. Obviously, you've seen it, it's exciting. Maybe buzz is building. But at the same time, it looks like you do like Criterion, that studio to do additional work with the base. I'm just curious on the decision to do that and what your plans are for need for speed in the future. |
” |
— Mike Hickey, Analyst (The Benchmark Company)[52]
| ||
| “ | Yeah. There was two things at play here. One is we have incredible ambition around Battlefield. We've got DICE Stockholm, DICE LA, Criterion, our technology team in Gothenburg and our entire Frostbite team, quite honestly, focused on making this the best possible Battlefield that can be. We've made tremendous progress. The teams have admirable ambition to be truly creative and innovative experience. And having Criterion who have delivered some of the most amazing experiences in our history and have worked really closely with DICE in the past, come together to help realize the fullness of that ambition was just a no-brainer for us this year. What has also happened, of course, is we had acquired Codemasters and a number of new racing games, including the F1 franchise, which is shaping up to be really strong this year. And it was an opportunity for us to really think more broadly about our holistic racing strategy. Need for Speed will absolutely be a meaningful part of our future. We actually think there is -- with the culmination of EA and Codemasters, we can actually expand and extend and enhance an interesting franchise. But those two things together meant that having Criterion work on Battlefield this year was absolutely the right choice for us. |
” |
— Andrew Wilson, CEO[52]
| ||
| “ | Yeah. And Mike, you know that Criterion actually delivered much diving associated with -- or flying associated with Battlefront I and Battlefront II. They've worked very closely with DICE for a long time. And they are experts in driving flying, the things that are really hard to do. And so it's not the first time that we pulled them into projects and they love it. They love to be able, and this -- we've tried to create a culture where people want to work together. And I think that's what you're seeing here versus some other idea that well, something must be wrong. No, no, this is an opportunity and talent in at the right time. And we always are measuring how that might impact future schedules. But as Andrew said, with the addition of Codemasters, we have a plethora of driving game opportunities right now that we can go after, and Criterion will continue to work on those going forward. |
” |
— Blake Jorgensen, CFO & COO[52]
| ||
One Year Delay[]
On March 1, 2021, Electronic Arts posted that it would be delaying the release of Criterion's in-development Need for Speed into EA's 2023 fiscal year - between April 1, 2022 to March 31, 2023 - for the Criterion team to assist DICE's work on the in-development "Battlefield 6", [53] [54] which would later be announced as Battlefield 2042 on June 9, 2021.
| “ | Our upcoming Battlefield™ game is coming together to be an exceptional game, not just for this year but also for the future of this powerful brand. The project is tracking towards the franchise’s earliest Alpha, the gameplay is at an unprecedented scale, and we are taking full advantage of the technology in the next-gen consoles. The team has done an incredible job despite the challenges of working from home. We want to build on our position of strength, focus on the opportunity in front of us, and set our game makers up for success to deliver the best experience possible to our players this fall. So, we are making a bold move - Criterion is joining DICE and DICE L.A. to focus on Battlefield. Criterion and DICE have a strong history of working together, and we’re confident this partnership will make a great game even better. With the addition of Codemasters, we also have a massive opportunity to expand EA’s racing strategy. Codemasters has several launches coming in the next year, bringing players some outstanding new racing games in our FY22. Criterion is one of the strongest racing studios in the industry, and the work they have accomplished on the next Need For Speed™ is truly inspired and will breathe new life into one of our most storied brands. We’re going to give Criterion the time to reach the game's full promise and deliver it in FY23. |
” |
Criterion's work towards their in-development Need for Speed was paused whilst the team aided DICE's work towards their in-development Battlefield game.[47]
Codemasters Acquisition[]
On February 2, 2021, Electronics Arts held an earnings call for the third quarter of their 2021 fiscal year.
During the earning call, their nearing acquisition of Codemasters was highlighted - which they had outbid Take-Two Interactive to purchase for $1.2 billion a few weeks prior[55] - and the studio's talents could contribute to the Need for Speed series.
| “ | Now Codex (sic) [Codemasters] on its own could be a nice addition to the company. We know that they have some incredible franchises. The F1 franchise is so nascent. It's a new franchise for them. We know if you're based in the U.S., there's very little F1 racing going on in the U.S. And yet we know that the owners of F1 would like to build an F1 business in the U.S. We know that there's still expansion around the globe. It is probably one of the best growth opportunities there is and the reason that we're willing to pay what we were willing to pay for it, on top of the fact that the DiRT franchise, the GRID franchise, all of their franchises are incredible games, but none of them have actually taken advantage of a large publishing organization and a marketing muscle that we're able to deliver. And we think that has growth to it, not to mention the talent that's in that organization that could continue to help our Need for Speed business or our Real Racing business. It could be very powerful. |
” |
— Blake J. Jorgensen, CFO & COO[56]
| ||
The acquisition of Codemasters was completed over two weeks later, with Electronic Arts gaining control of the Southam, Birmingham, Cheshire, Slightly Mad, and Kuala Lumpur studios, alongside the DiRT, GRID, Project Cars, Formula 1, and WRC series.[57]
2020[]
EA Q2 Fiscal 2020 Report[]
On November 5, 2020, Electronic Art released its second quarter 2021 Fiscal Report. Within the report, it outlines that Criterion's in-development Need for Speed would be releasing within EA's 2022 fiscal year, which is between April 1, 2021 to March 31, 2022.
| “ | Looking ahead, I want to offer a few thoughts on our growth drivers for FY22 and beyond. Each previous console generation has grown the global market, and we expect this transition will do the same. We plan to launch at least six new games on the next-gen consoles in FY22. These will include a new Need for Speed game that is bringing some astounding visual leaps, developed by the Criterion team, who have launched some of the most highly-rated games in franchise history |
” |
— Andrew Wilson, CEO[58]
| ||
LPN Leak[]
On August 5, 2020, YouTuber LPN05 published a video of leaked pre-alpha gameplay footage of Criterion's in-development Need for Speed.[59]
The published footage was taken from an in-development build, of which the environments shown are in an early greybox state meant for level design and testing, with only the Porsche 911 GT2 RS being driven by either the player or any A.I. opponents.[43]
Within the published video, various unique visual effects shown throughout the leaked footage are utilised to create an emphasised look of visual narrative through pop art elements against a realistic world. This includes thick contrails from spoilers, tail light streaks, long flame streaks from exhausts, ground shockwaves when landing jumps, flat coloured tyre smoke, fluidic motion lines, tyre flame trails, and exclamative pops for exhaust backfire.
The car being driven by the player has a licence plate reading "EXC" referring to the game's development codename: "Excalibur".
EA Play Live 2020[]
On June 18, 2020, Criterion's in-development Need for Speed was first officially announcement during the "Next Gen Teaser" section of Electronic Arts' "EA Play Live June 2020" presentation, in which a scene of a customised Nissan 180SX (S13) and a stock Porsche 911 GT3 RS were shown against an HDRI backdrop.[60]
| “ | Criterion is known for how their games feel. From superior physics to nuanced details of gameplay, this team hand curates the moment-to-moment experience. | ” |
— Laura Miele, Chief Studios Officer[60]
| ||
Ghost Games Closure[]
On February 12, 2020, Electronic Arts announced that Criterion Games would become the franchise leader of the Need for Speed series, a position it was initially given in 2012[61] following on from EA Black Box's long stewardship of the series, and was passed onto Ghost Games in 2013.[62]
With Criterion taking ownership of the series back from Ghost Games, all of the studios under Ghost Games were reverted to their prior duties within Electronic Arts. Ghost Games became EA Gothenburg again, Ghost Games UK was reintegrated into Criterion following its split in 2013[63] as well as a consultation period for some job roles in 2014[64], and Ghost Games Romania becoming EA Romania.
During the transition, an EA representative highlighted that while those in roles for engineering and planned transfers would be retained, a remaining thirty roles within Ghost Games in Sweden would hopefully be transferred within the company.
| “ | Outside of the engineers and those that we plan to transfer to other positions, there would be 30 additional staff in Gothenburg, and we would hope to place as many of them as possible into other roles in the company. | ” |
— EA[65]
| ||
As a reason for the series' transition from Ghost Games back to Criterion, it was outlined that Electronic Arts was struggling to attract the wanted and needed talent to Gothenburg.
| “ | Ghost Games have helped to bring some great Need for Speed experiences to our players. Consistently delivering that at AAA levels means we need teams with diverse skills in locations where we can continually support them and bring in new team members to join. Despite our best efforts to establish an independent development group in Gothenburg over several years, it's become clear that the breadth of talent we need to maintain a full AAA studio is just not available to us there. Criterion can also provide the consistent leadership that we need to continue creating and delivering new Need for Speed experiences for a long time to come. |
” |
— EA[65]
| ||
The changing of leading studios for the series came four months after the release of Ghost Games' final game in the series under their name: Need for Speed: Heat, of which had its post-launch content reduced, with its fifth and final update being released on June 9, 2020.
References[]
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Drop 9: Launch. Available at: https://nfs-lane-changers.ea.com/en-us/drop9
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) It's Friday, so you know it's time for an Under the Hood article - Lakeshore Online. Dive into NFS Unbound's multiplayer and Monday, we're dropping a gameplay video🤫 x.ea.com/75718. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1593642084027842560
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Lakeshore Online. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-lakeshore-online
- ↑ YouTube: Need for Speed (2022) Need for Speed Unbound - Speed Race Gameplay. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u4AIeStWf4U
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Get Ready to Race. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-get-ready-to-race
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) The Need for Speed™ Unbound Official Soundtrack is a celebration of music around the world with over 70 tracks from 25 countries! Discover new artists leading a multitude of sub-genres across music championing self-expression & empowerment! #needforspeed http://x.ea.com/75669. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1592185936737357825
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) New Gameplay Mode. New Opportunities to Win BIG. This is the TAKEOVER. Tomorrow 8am PT / 5pm CET. #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1589651870746017793
- ↑ Tweet: (2022) 'Go crazy, burn out, win BIG.@ASAPRocky hosts Lakeshore’s newest racing series, the TAKEOVER! Practice during the day. Dominate during the night. #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1590012943801778176
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under The Hood: Run These Streets. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-run-these-streets
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) ∙PALACE ∙NEED ∙FOR STEEZE ∙MAXIMUM SKUUUR #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1587121299683524610
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/palace-edition
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/express-yourself-with-revolutionary-fashion-brands
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) Hey everybody just so this is clear for some people: A capsule collection is a REAL WORLD collection of apparel. Also the image is just for the Capsule Collection, it's not a reflection of in-game character models lol. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1587854583489085448
- ↑ Website: blog.playstation.com/ (2022) Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off. Available at: https://blog.playstation.com/2022/11/04/how-the-ps5-brings-lakeshore-to-life-in-need-for-speed-unbound/
- ↑ Website: @needforspeed (2022) How the PS5 brings Lakeshore to life in Need for Speed Unbound. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1584560353572102146
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) Y’all wanted more so we gave you more! More Rims. More Decals. More Rides. More Customization. More than Machines. #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1584923037492731908
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Car Customization. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/about/customization
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Show Up and Show Off. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-show-up-and-show-off
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) Time doesn’t stop. Set your watch for tomorrow at 8am PT/5pm CEST. #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1582023821640761347
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Turn Up the Heat. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-turn-up-the-heat
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) How to Make More Bank and Get to The Grand in Need for Speed Unbound. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/how-to-make-bank
- ↑ Tweet: @needforspeed (2022) New drip. Spin the block and stunt on the opps. Tomorrow. 8am PT/ 5pm CEST #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1579471964468826112
- ↑ Tweet: (2022) Customize your style. Choose your driving effects. Get noticed. Start with nothing and slowly push your style to its absolute limit. #needforspeed. Available at: https://twitter.com/NeedforSpeed/status/1579849555960823808
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Under the Hood: Welcome to Need for Speed Unbound. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/under-the-hood-welcome-to-need-for-speed-unbound
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Change Your Land In Need For Speed Unbound. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/news/announce
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Need for Speed Unbound Car List. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/about/car-list
- ↑ Website: needforspeed.com (2022) Explore Lakeshore. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/games/need-for-speed/need-for-speed-unbound/about/lakeshore-city
- ↑ 28.0 28.1 Website: Wayback Machine (2022) Neowing.co.jp: Need for Speed Unbound. Available at: https://web.archive.org/web/20221005154156/https://www.neowing.co.jp/product/ELJM-30246
- ↑ Website: Soundcloud (2022) RICK$HIT A$AP Rocky - Shittin Me [Prod. Kelvin Krash]. Available at: https://soundcloud.com/rickyrocks26/aap-rocky-shittin-me-prod-kelvin-krash
- ↑ Tweet: @mrsawge11 "A$AP Rocky’s new ride @RollingLoud #asaprocky" Available at: https://twitter.com/mrsawge11/status/1576649801252229122
- ↑ Website: insider-gaming.com (2022) Need for Speed Unbound Reveal "Imminent". Available at: https://insider-gaming.com/need-for-speed-unbound-reveal/
- ↑ Website: https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLeaksAndRumours (2022) I shared some nfs leaks from an EA buddy over on r/gamingleaksandrumours. Here's more info & pics Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/GamingLeaksAndRumours/comments/wxh87p/i_shared_some_nfs_leaks_from_an_ea_buddy_over_on/
- ↑ Website: imgur.com (2022) Available at: https://imgur.com/a/ENF6b1C#FFcbHbB
- ↑ Website: videogameschronicle.com (2022) A gameplay clip of the new Need for Speed has seemingly leaked. https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/a-gameplay-clip-of-the-new-need-for-speed-has-seemingly-leaked/
- ↑ Video: clips.twitch.tv (2022) Need for speed delayed from november to december Available at: https://www.twitch.tv/videos/1572163826?t=0h58m33s
- ↑ Tweet: @Codemasters "We can confirm Criterion Games and the development team at Codemasters Cheshire are officially coming together to create the future of @NeedforSpeed, forming one Criterion studio with two location hubs. [1/3]." Available at: https://twitter.com/Codemasters/status/1524704763010502657
- ↑ Tweet: @Codemasters "This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months. [2/3]" Available at: https://twitter.com/Codemasters/status/1524704765078294529
- ↑ Tweet: @Codemasters "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. [3/3]" Available at: https://twitter.com/Codemasters/status/1524704766567370752
- ↑ Website: ea.com (2022, p. 10) Electronic Arts Inc. Q4 FY 2022 Results. Available at: https://s22.q4cdn.com/894350492/files/doc_financials/2022/q4/Q4-FY22-Earnings-Slides-Final.pdf
- ↑ Website: reddit.com/r/needforspeed (2022) NFS 2022 Map, Screenshot, and UI leaked by notorious NFS insider, ynk, on Kuru's server. Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/needforspeed/comments/u9j1ja/nfs_2022_map_screenshot_and_ui_leaked_by/
- ↑ gfycat.com (2022) SPOILER SPOILER VID-20220410-WA0008 GIF. Available at: https://gfycat.com/everlastinggoldenhairstreakbutterfly
- ↑ 42.0 42.1 42.2 42.3 Video: Giant Bomb (2022) GrubbSnax 42: Need For Speed, PlayStation Banners, and More!. Available at: https://youtu.be/Dq8Ly2s87-Q?t=99
- ↑ 43.0 43.1 Video: 不明_02 (2020) NFS 2021 Alpha Gameplay footage. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wl36PPtdwUw
- ↑ Tweet: @_Tom_Henderson_ "SCOOP - Codemasters Cheshire is to become a support studio for the next Need For Speed title." Available at: https://twitter.com/_Tom_Henderson_/status/1491731460235083788
- ↑ Website: gameranx.com (2022) Codemasters Cheshire Reportedly Working On Need For Speed 2022. Available at: https://gameranx.com/updates/id/288057/article/codemasters-cheshire-reportedly-working-on-need-for-speed-2022/
- ↑ https://www.videogameschronicle.com/news/criterions-need-for-speed-game-will-reportedly-be-released-this-year
- ↑ 47.0 47.1 Cite error: Invalid
<ref>tag; no text was provided for refs namedHenderson Date - ↑ Website: reddit.com/r/needforspeed (2021) Potential NFS 2022 Leaks From Criterion Producer (Twitter). Available at: https://www.reddit.com/r/needforspeed/comments/r93n3n/potential_nfs_2022_leaks_from_criterion_producer/
- ↑ Website: imgur.com (2021) Available at: https://i.imgur.com/ov4pmwX.png
- ↑ Website: vg47.com Codemasters is hiring staff for its "most ambitious and biggest game" yet. Available at: https://www.vg247.com/codemasters-chesire-hiring-job-ad-biggest-game
- ↑ 51.0 51.1 Website: ea.gr8people.com Development Manager. Available at: https://ea.gr8people.com/jobs/167857/development-manager
- ↑ 52.0 52.1 52.2 52.3 Video: AlphaStreet (2021) EA Stock | Electronic Arts Q4 2021 Earnings Call. Available at: https://youtu.be/uF_rQWTTIaE?t=2513
- ↑ 53.0 53.1 Website: polygon.com (2021) EA delays new Need for Speed, shifts Criterion to support Battlefield 6. Available at: https://www.polygon.com/2021/3/1/22307226/battlefield-6-release-date-need-for-speed-2021-delayed-ea-dice-criterion-codemasters
- ↑ 54.0 54.1 Website: ea.com (2021) A Bold Move For Battlefield. Available at: https://www.ea.com/en-gb/news/a-bold-move-for-battlefield
- ↑ Website: gamesindustry.biz Take-Two withdraws bid for Codemasters following EA offer of $1.2bn. Available at: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-01-13-take-two-withdraws-bid-for-codemasters-following-ea-offer-of-usd1-2bn
- ↑ Website: ea.com (2021, p. 4) Q3 2021 Electronic Arts Inc Earnings Call. Available at: https://s22.q4cdn.com/894350492/files/doc_financials/2021/q3/EA-Transcript.pdf
- ↑ Website: gamesinduatry.biz (2021) EA completes $1.2bn Codemasters acquisition and hopes to "revolutionise" racing games. Available at: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2021-02-18-ea-completes-codemasters-acquisition-and-hopes-to-revolutionise-racing-games
- ↑ Website: ea.com (2020, p. 5) Prepared remarks - Q2 Fiscal 2021. Avilable at: https://s22.q4cdn.com/894350492/files/doc_financials/2021/q2/Q2-FY21-Prepared-Remarks-Final.pdf
- ↑ Video: LPN05 (2020) NEED FOR SPEED 2021 - ALPHA GAMEPLAY LEAK! / MEIN EINDRUCK!. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r2tItQt4ZLI
- ↑ 60.0 60.1 Video: GameSpot (2020) EA Play 2020 Next Gen Games Teaser. Available at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jMQ4n2922qI
- ↑ Website: wegotthiscovered.com (2012) Criterion Behind The Wheel Of The Entire Need For Speed Franchise. Available at: https://wegotthiscovered.com/gaming/criterion-wheel-entire-speed-franchise/
- ↑ Website: polygon.com (2013) Need For Speed Rivals is a living game, and a sign of things to come. Available at: https://www.polygon.com/2013/8/22/4646854/need-for-speed-rivals-is-a-living-game-and-a-sign-of-things-to-come
- ↑ Website: polygon.com (2013) Majority of Criterion staff now Ghost Games UK, core team down to 16 people. Available at: https://www.polygon.com/2013/9/13/4728044/majority-of-criterion-staff-now-ghost-games-uk-core-team-down-to-16
- ↑ Website: polygon.com (2014) Layoffs hit Ghost Games' UK office, unannounced NFS title mothballed. Available at: https://www.polygon.com/2014/2/1/5360976/layoffs-hit-ghost-games-uk-office-unannounced-nfs-title-mothballed
- ↑ 65.0 65.1 Website: gamesindustry.biz (2020) EA will move Need for Speed development back to Criterion. Available at: https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2020-02-12-ea-will-move-need-for-speed-development-back-to-criterion