As part of its recent interview with IGN, Criterion reflected on its 30-year journey, from Burnout and Need for Speed to helping revive Battlefield. The studio made it clear that Burnout remains an important part of its identity, but it also acknowledged that its future now lies firmly with Battlefield. Fittingly, Criterion’s new 30th anniversary logo proudly carries the tagline: “Criterion: A Battlefield Studio.”
On paper, that makes perfect sense. Battlefield 6 has already become one of EA’s biggest success stories in years. It revived a franchise many had written off, delivered the biggest launch in Battlefield history, and reminded everyone why the series was once Call of Duty’s fiercest rival. As a Battlefield fan, I genuinely couldn’t be happier. As a Burnout fan, though? That realization stings a little.
Burnout isn’t forgotten. It’s just waiting
The good news is that Criterion clearly hasn’t abandoned its roots. The developers openly acknowledged Burnout’s legacy and how much the series shaped the studio that exists today. The bad news is… remembering a franchise isn’t the same as making one.
“We are solely focused on Battlefield.” – Rebecka Coutaz, VP & GM of Battlefield Studios Europe
For the foreseeable future, Criterion is Battlefield-first. That’s where the studio’s talent is going, that’s where EA’s investment is going, and judging by Battlefield 6’s success, that’s exactly where it’s likely to stay. And honestly? It’s hard to argue with that. Battlefield no longer needs saving. It’s already been saved.
The latest game has proven that EA’s strategy worked. Criterion’s expertise in vehicle handling, large-scale chaos, and polished gameplay clearly helped turn Battlefield into a success again. From a business perspective, doubling down on that momentum is probably the smartest decision EA could make. Unfortunately, it also means one fewer studio making arcade racers.
Arcade racing has quietly disappeared
You see, the thing is that Burnout never became legendary because it was realistic. It became legendary because it was ridiculously fun. Flying through traffic at impossible speeds, launching rivals into barriers, watching spectacular pileups unfold in slow motion, treating car crashes like they were an Olympic sport, and whatnot. None of it tried to simulate real life. It simply wanted players to have the biggest grin on their faces. That’s something the racing genre feels like it’s slowly forgotten.
Today, almost every major racing game wants to feel authentic. Cars behave more realistically. Damage models are increasingly detailed. Physics engines are constantly evolving toward realism. Even the excellent Forza Horizon series, which arguably strikes the best balance between realism and arcade gameplay today, still builds itself around licensed cars, believable handling, and a festival atmosphere. It’s an incredible franchise, but it’s not trying to be Burnout. And that’s perfectly okay. The problem is that nobody else is either.
Need for Speed deserves credit for experimenting with Unbound. The bold cel-shaded art style was a welcome departure, but beneath the visual flair, many fans still felt the series hadn’t fully recaptured the effortless arcade magic of its golden era. Other than that, Burnout disappeared. MotorStorm disappeared. Blur disappeared. Split/Second disappeared. Ridge Racer has become a little more than a nostalgic memory. The fact of the matter is that without really noticing, we’ve ended up with fewer and fewer games that simply embrace chaos for the sake of fun.
Players still love games with personality
Ironically, the past few years have shown that players aren’t always chasing realism. Games like Astro Bot, Balatro, and Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 became massive hits because they embraced personality, creativity, and fun over photorealism or simulation.
Burnout figured that out long before the rest of the industry did. Nobody played it because it accurately recreated the experience of driving. They played it because launching rivals into oncoming traffic, triggering spectacular crashes, and embracing absolute chaos never stopped being entertaining.
The same was true for Need for Speed: Underground 2 and Most Wanted (2005). Those games weren’t remembered for realistic handling. Instead, they’re remembered for their iconic soundtracks, over-the-top police chases, cheesy street-racing stories, and gameplay that always put excitement ahead of authenticity. There’s a reason people still talk about them twenty years later.
EA is probably making the right decision… and that’s what makes it bittersweet
To be clear, this isn’t a criticism of Battlefield. If anything, Battlefield 6 proves EA made the right call. Criterion has played a huge role in the franchise’s resurgence, and from a business perspective, keeping one of its best studios focused on one of its biggest successes is hard to argue against.
The trade-off, however, is just as clear. Battlefield gains one of the industry’s finest developers, while arcade racing loses one. Criterion insists Burnout hasn’t been forgotten, and I genuinely believe that. But after years of hearing “maybe someday,” it’s hard not to wonder whether that day will ever come.
I hope I’m wrong. Because gaming doesn’t need another ultra-realistic racer nearly as much as it needs a studio willing to remind us that fun comes first. Burnout didn’t just give us fast cars; it gave us personality, chaos, and the kind of joy that’s become surprisingly rare in modern racing games. And that’s a legacy worth bringing back.