Criterion Games hasn't had a chance to release a Need for Speed game for a while. EA confirmed last year that it was delaying the studio's racing sim so it can help out DICE with Battlefield 2042. But, now that Battlefield 2042 is already out on the market, it appears that Criterion can finally go back to doing what they do best.
Quite some time has passed since we last saw a new Need for Speed Game. Not to mention, it's been nearly a decade since Criterion spearheaded the development of 2012's Need for Speed: Most Wanted. So, you'll understand why fans have been dying to find out more about a new Need for Speed game.
Thankfully, Tom Henderson has some good news about Need for Speed - the next installment might release sometime in September or October.
EA is expecting Need for Speed by Criterion Games to release in September/October 2022.
Need for Speed development had to be paused in summer 2021 as Criterion Games needed to help with the development of Battlefield 2042. pic.twitter.com/pGHiEIYmbv
— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) January 20, 2022
Criterion originally promised to release a new Need for Speed game in 2020 following 2019's Need for Speed: Heat by Ghost Games. Unfortunately, EA temporarily moved Criterion to a support role to help out DICE with Battlefield 2042. At the time, EA's Chief Studios Officer Laura Miele promised that Criterion would release a new Need for Speed game in either 2022 or 2023. But, if we believe Henderson's tweet, then it's going to be the former.
Unfortunately, Henderson refused to get more specific about the upcoming Need for Speed installment's release date. Instead, he only confirmed what most already knew - that EA asked Criterion to help out and prioritize Battlefield 2042 first.
Having said that, Henderson is neither from EA nor Criterion. It's still best to take everything that he said with a grain of salt. If it's any consolation, we should hear more from EA in the coming months, specifically, about EA Play. If EA intends to release a new Need for Speed game, then EA Play is the best time to do it. Since EA Play's usual June schedule is coming up, fans shouldn't have to wait too long to find out more about EA's plans for 2022 and beyond.
In other news, it appears that EA's all-in gamble on Battlefield 2042 hasn't paid off. The game is currently plagued with issues and seriously lagging behind its competition in terms of content. The last we heard was that Battlefield 2042's first season won't start until March 2022. A popular cheat maker has also dropped support for Battlefield 2042 because not enough people were playing the game.
