Developer Criterion Games is being added to the EA Entertainment (EAE) division. In a blog post from EAE’s general manager Vince Zampella, he explained that the Burnout studio has been brought on to help with the development of DICE’s Battlefield franchise.
“We’re all-in on Battlefield,” explained Zampella. “Today, Criterion is added to our world-class Battlefield studios dedicated to ushering in a new era for the franchise.”
Following the division of its two businesses into EAE and EA Sports, Criterion has operated in a nebulous space. It helped with development on Battlefield V and Battlefield 2042, but was technically part of the latter group, which CEO Andrew Wilson said in June also covered “our entire racing portfolio.”
In the past, Zampella and EA have made clear their desire to bring the struggling shooter up to par with Activision Blizzard’s Call of Duty. Last year, it announced the formation of Ridgeline Games, a developer specifically tasked with creating the single-player campaigns for the franchise’s future installments.
Most of Criterion’s staff is said to be working with DICE, Ridgeline, and Ripple Effect (formerly DICE LA) with continued development for Battlefield 2042 and “continued pre-production on a connected Battlefield Universe.”
Despite the franchise shift, Zampella indicated that Criterion would continue to make Need for Speed games, which it has been doing since 2010’s Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit. In the blog, he mentioned that the non-Battlefield staff at Criterion would “continue on what’s next for Need for Speed.”
Criterion’s most recent game was Need for Speed Unbound, which was released towards the end of 2022. Weeks later, five longtime staff departed the studio, including studio VP Matt Webster.