Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franchise

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Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franchise

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It looks like Criterion Games, the producers behind 2010's Hot Pursuit and this year's Most Wanted, will now be the studio responsible for all Need For Speed games in the future. According to the vice president, Alex Ward, "Criterion decide which Need For Speed titles will be released."

This doesn't mean that Criterion will develop all NFS games in the future, but it is a strong indication that EA will let Criterion in charge of the franchise, and in charge of other studios responsible for creating new NFS games. That would include EA BlackBox, which until now has been the major studio behind the franchise.

Warden also says: "Our stamp's going to be in everything you see in Need for Speed and Burnout going forward in the future. It's not going to be spread anymore across different companies. Different studios have had a crack at it – it's definitely a Criterion gig now." The franchise encompasses Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted, Shift, and Underground, and Ward thinks it would be "amazing in the future if there was one big game that had all of these in it."

What are your thoughts about this? Will a major presence of Criterion be beneficial to the Need For Speed franchise, or do you prefer BlackBox, or other studio, to be in charge?
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by ianism »

i think criterion will be run into the ground through overwork like blackbox has been. i know they can make good games, but so could black box (and imo the run and prostreet were pretty good).

and i really really hope they separate burnout and NFS now they have control of both. HP was pretty much a burnout game with licensed cars and cops.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by datass »

no doubt EA will pressure Criterion, but let's face it, Black Box sucked at making games. ea tried giving them three years of development time and a higher budged and all they delivered was a demo... i used to hate Undercover but compared to The Run it's like comparing Hot Pursuit to Big Rigs... Pro Street was fine, not great, but fine. only simulator that tried to be not-boring. NFS' decline started when Black Box got involved, it had a few climbs here and there but overall the decline started with "em. if i'm correct Hot Pursuit 2 was the last NFS game the original EA Canada was involved in...

i doubt Criterion's stuff will be exceptional but maybe it will be decent. frankly though, i'd rather they kept developing Burnout. it had way more potential, every NFS game developed from now on will be strictly for the NFS fans, everybody else is sick of it and sick of EA.

by the way since when is Shift a NFS game? that's funny.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by YaelDjiel »

Permanent Need For Burnout.. whoopi :P
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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Not bad. I dont mind it at all.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by Hydro_PT »

To me, these are good news. BlackBox has already proven enough times they can't do a proper game, so having them or having EA's bosses dealing with NFS is not a good thing for the franchise in my opinion. BlackBox has been digging heir own grave for far too long.

Criterion does good games. I understand that there are players who don't like the way they make games, but you can't deny the effort they put in each one and the quality. If they are going to take over the NFS franchise, either making the games or letting other studios develop new games, it is good. I especially like this sentence: "Criterion decide which Need For Speed titles will be released." I read it this way: "We will check if each NFS has enough quality to be released." I trust Criterion, so far they have not disappointed me with Burnout and Hot Pursuit. Most Wanted... we will see, but I'm pretty confident we will get a good quality game. :)

Just hope EA doesn't make too much pressure on them.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by datass »

just in case some people don't know, NFS isn't the only franchise Black Box messed up...
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by SonicTH228 »

Mmm... :\

This is good if you want NFS to go in a good direction but I'm not sure if I personally think I'm too much of a Burnout fan to find this to be great news. I'd REALLY rather have a new Burnout installment over Criterion-powered NFS games.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by Dr Houbenheimer »

I think on EA's part it's a good move for them, Blackbox have just blown too many opportunities from EA's perspective to allow them to keep making NFS games.

I think Criterion have shown that they can create quality games, and Hot Pursuit did sell much better than The Run IIRC, but I was worried about the 'Burnout-y' direction. However, this quote made me more optomistic about the series future:
The franchise encompasses Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted, Shift, and Underground, and Ward thinks it would be "amazing in the future if there was one big game that had all of these in it."
If they do that, I have more confidence in Criterion than Blackbox to produce a quality title, I just hope they listen to the fanbase as well as add their own touch.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by MeiSdeep »

BlackBox make goodness NFS HP2,UG,UG2,MW,CARBON,UNDERCOVER,WORLD, THE RUN IS FAIL and this is not problem this is best series Criterior games only marred this good nfs series
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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MeiSdeep wrote:BlackBox make goodness NFS HP2,UG,UG2,MW,CARBON,UNDERCOVER,WORLD, THE RUN IS FAIL and this is not problem this is best series Criterior games only marred this good nfs series
only truly good games Black Box ever made were Underground and Most Wanted, but even those had more than enough flaws.

I checked it and only the PS2 version of HP2 was made by Black Box, the Xbox and PC versions were made by EA Canada (after that they were merged). no wonder the PS2 version sucks compared to the other two.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by YaelDjiel »

Lol, the PS2 version of HP2 is generally regarded as the best version.. :D
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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YaelDjiel wrote:Lol, the PS2 version of HP2 is generally regarded as the best version.. :D
by the same people who claim today that CoD is the best FPS ever. Be The Cop mode was somewhat better and it had some new tracks but otherwise i can't see how it was better in any way... crashes sucked, car models sucked, a.i. sucked, etc. not to mention it had fewer cars.

btw i mean it sucked compared to the other versions, it's still be best racing game ever.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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datass wrote:
by the same people who claim today that CoD is the best FPS ever. Be The Cop mode was somewhat better and it had some new tracks but otherwise i can't see how it was better in any way... crashes sucked, car models sucked, a.i. sucked, etc. not to mention it had fewer cars.

btw i mean it sucked compared to the other versions, it's still be best racing game ever.
LOL whatever you're smoking i want some. the PC/xbox/GC version was basically a port of the PS2 version. EA got BB to make the game and then basically got their own studio to recreate it for the other platforms. as a result, the non-PS2 version had time to get licensing for a few extra cop cars, but it had worse graphics, worse physics, control lag (cars don't respond immediately to inputs), worse gameplay, worse replays, a worse/darker colour pallete ugly menus, a less well-structured career. etc etc.

i don't play FPS. i play driving games.

just look at the metacritic scores. 73 for PC. 89 for PS2. and the highest score of the PC version (83) was actually of the PS2 version. my mum used to get that magazine back in the day.

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/need- ... -pursuit-2

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstat ... -pursuit-2
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by RNCoetzee »

Wooohooo...who can't wait to be disappoint again!
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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ianism wrote: LOL whatever you're smoking i want some. the PC/xbox/GC version was basically a port of the PS2 version. EA got BB to make the game and then basically got their own studio to recreate it for the other platforms. as a result, the non-PS2 version had time to get licensing for a few extra cop cars
i assume you can back that up with proof? it was released at the same time for all platforms, so I find that hard to believe.
ianism wrote: but it had worse graphics, worse physics, control lag (cars don't respond immediately to inputs), worse gameplay, worse replays, a worse/darker colour pallete ugly menus, a less well-structured career. etc etc.
the graphics are debatable. the ps2 version had better shadows and more vibrant colors but it also had crappy car models and some really, really weird particle effects. plus everything on PS2 has a tendency to look like plastic.

the control lag is your keyboard's fault, for me they always felt smoother than any other PC game, along with Flatout Ultimate Carnage.

the ps2 version had brighter colors and better shadows but the car models were terrible and everything had a tendency to look like plastic. gameplay will always be debated.

idk what you expect from the replay system that doesn't exist in all the versions, i really don't...

as for the career structure, what's so good about it in contrast to the other versions?
ianism wrote: just look at the metacritic scores. 73 for PC. 89 for PS2. and the highest score of the PC version (83) was actually of the PS2 version. my mum used to get that magazine back in the day.

http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/need- ... -pursuit-2

http://www.metacritic.com/game/playstat ... -pursuit-2
idk if you realized it but when i said that the PS2 version was considered the best by ''the same people who claim today that CoD is the best FPS ever'' I meant critics are idiots.

CoD MW3: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/call- ... -warfare-3

i don't care if you play FPS or not, that's not the point.

now, i know that the user rating of NFSHP2 on Metacritic is also higher on PS2, but just look on how many reviews it's based off! you can't get conclusive results based on the opinions of 22 - 24 people...
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

Post by Bojan »

So what you're saying is, you're more credible than 22 professional reviewers?
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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A few words of advice: Before you start talking like you know the facts, make sure you know the facts.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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datass wrote:only truly good games Black Box ever made were Underground and Most Wanted, but even those had more than enough flaws.
If they're so dang flawed why are UG2 and MW the best games in the series.

The worst NFS title ever is NFS Undercover. I can't hate The Run with all my heart because I commend them for trying something different (they just seemed to undershoot their target). Conceptually, I like The Run. Their execution was lacking, though (needed a better driving engine, they didn't include near enough variety in environments, and the single player mode is far too short for what they were proposing).
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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Bojan wrote:So what you're saying is, you're more credible than 22 professional reviewers?
me and pretty much everyone whose not a critic (except you, webmasters, of course). wanna know why? because:

1. there are more of us
2. we don't take bribes :-/
GT3x24x7 wrote:A few words of advice: Before you start talking like you know the facts, make sure you know the facts.
and what facts would those be?
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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SonicTH228 wrote:If they're so dang flawed why are UG2 and MW the best games in the series.
I would say that is very, very debatable. To me, the best NFS game was Porsche Unleashed. :D Who is right, me or you? No one... it's an opinion. :) Remember that. Each one will have their own best NFS game, and that will never be consensual.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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Hydro_PT wrote:
SonicTH228 wrote:If they're so dang flawed why are UG2 and MW the best games in the series.
I would say that is very, very debatable. To me, the best NFS game was Porsche Unleashed. :D Who is right, me or you? No one... it's an opinion. :) Remember that. Each one will have their own best NFS game, and that will never be consensual.
true, it's a matter of taste, but up to a limit. if someone told you they like eating wooden planks for breakfast would you call them mentally sain? and PU was awesome :P

by the way i said UNDERGROUND not UNDERGROUND 2. UG2 is probably the worst after Nitro, Undercover and The Run... u kno, mein opinionz :3
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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Hydro_PT wrote:
SonicTH228 wrote:If they're so dang flawed why are UG2 and MW the best games in the series.
I would say that is very, very debatable. To me, the best NFS game was Porsche Unleashed. :D Who is right, me or you? No one... it's an opinion. :) Remember that. Each one will have their own best NFS game, and that will never be consensual.
mmmh i was a little disappointed with MW. especially the physics. cars were all heavy and drifty. UG2 i despised for going with the crowd and getting away from, well, what they did with HP2 and PU. and yeah PU is probably the best NFS title.
datass wrote:
i assume you can back that up with proof? it was released at the same time for all platforms, so I find that hard to believe.

the graphics are debatable. the ps2 version had better shadows and more vibrant colors but it also had crappy car models and some really, really weird particle effects. plus everything on PS2 has a tendency to look like plastic.

as for the career structure, what's so good about it in contrast to the other versions?

idk if you realized it but when i said that the PS2 version was considered the best by ''the same people who claim today that CoD is the best FPS ever'' I meant critics are idiots.

CoD MW3: http://www.metacritic.com/game/pc/call- ... -warfare-3

i don't care if you play FPS or not, that's not the point.

now, i know that the user rating of NFSHP2 on Metacritic is also higher on PS2, but just look on how many reviews it's based off! you can't get conclusive results based on the opinions of 22 - 24 people...
i can't back that up with proof. i just remember reading a magazine (OPM i think) in the leadup to it's release saying BB had been commissioned by EA to make it and that EA Seattle (not Canada). and given the rushed mess of the other versions it was pretty clear to me that they just took they layout etc of it and made another game. the graphics are one indicator. another is the career structure: in the PS2 version is a complicated tree-thing with different challenges that fit with the rewards (beat a field of diablos with a murc and unlock the murc). plus you win points for doing stuff like big air, missing roadblocks etc which accumulate to unlock other cars... the other versions have a very linear tree where you're just given points based on how well you did which you cash in to unlock stuff. it's much less well thought-out. the physics are another - again, you're the only person i've encountered who thinks they're worse on PS2.

the control lag is another thing. don't tell me it's my computer - i've played on 3 different computers. and also there is this:
The PC/GC/XBox version suffers from definite control 'lag' of around 0.5 sec. While steering is not affected, it does affect accelerating and braking, and even extends to the car's interaction with the environment - on gaining air in a jump for example, the 'engine racing' sound plays after a 0.5 sec delay. There is a concern that this delay also carries over to traction calculations and the deeper parts of the physics model. The easiest way to demonstrate this is simply to press the horn and notice the delay before the horn sound is played.

that is from here http://wiki.nfsunlimited.net/wiki/Need_ ... Comparison

ha well you say you're more people. but clearly you're not. you're the only person arguing this point of view in the thread. i know a lot of people who play NFS and nobody thinks the PC version is better. nobody. (apart from you, apparently).

and why would critics be biased against different versions of the game? sure, they might take money from big companies like EA to boost scores. but does that mean their opinions on everything are wrong? they have no interest in scoring one version of a game higher than another other than their professional opinion. i don't care about COD vs whatever the hell else. how people review today's game reviews have no bearing on reviews the same publications did in 2002.

but yeah i'll stop because clearly you have your opinion and the rest of us have ours. i'm just wasting my time, aren't i?
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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I really think that criterion is the best producer of racing games that are actually fun, replayable, and extremely high quality as far as the amount and diversity of cars, graphics, and physics. i mean honestly, burnout paradise was probably my favorite racing game of all time. there was just so much to do as far as challenges and things to do around the city. hot pursuit was the best nfs title in a very long time. but it wasn't as fun as burnout because there really was not a whole lot of interesting things in the map, the challenges got a little old, but still, being able to slam into cops and other drivers was extremely entertaining, and the cars felt near perfect to drive.

i'm seeing that criterion being in charge here is a huge step forward. i honestly think that most wanted will be an amazing game, since it's basically a mashup of hot pursuit and paradise. screw people who say there has to be customization of the cars and a storyline, a game should be fun to play and nobody wants to see a lamborghini or a porsche with butt-ugly body kits.
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Re: Criterion Games in charge of entire Need For Speed franc

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Fishwhiz wrote:I really think that criterion is the best producer of racing games that are actually fun, replayable, and extremely high quality as far as the amount and diversity of cars, graphics, and physics. i mean honestly, burnout paradise was probably my favorite racing game of all time. there was just so much to do as far as challenges and things to do around the city. hot pursuit was the best nfs title in a very long time. but it wasn't as fun as burnout because there really was not a whole lot of interesting things in the map, the challenges got a little old, but still, being able to slam into cops and other drivers was extremely entertaining, and the cars felt near perfect to drive.

i'm seeing that criterion being in charge here is a huge step forward. i honestly think that most wanted will be an amazing game, since it's basically a mashup of hot pursuit and paradise. screw people who say there has to be customization of the cars and a storyline, a game should be fun to play and nobody wants to see a lamborghini or a porsche with butt-ugly body kits.
BP was the best arcade racing game IMO, it was soo fun to play, on & offline. I hope Criterion brings back a similar online layout like BP did, it was easy, quick and you could jump into a room with other people with ease. I made most of my online friends playing BP. I got it 3 years ago and I still play, and so do many ohtersm usually a game is dead online after a year. Hopefully Criterion could make this NFS as great as BP.

I have no doubt in my head thinking that Criterion will be more connected to the fanbase than black box. I mean, they even had there podcast CrashTV. TAlked about news for the game, updates etc.
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