EA’s Need for Speed series has been struggling recently, with Unbound barely receiving any marketing before getting released a few years ago. The franchise’s future has been in doubt since, and it looks like things aren’t going to get better. While it isn’t dead, it looks like the NFS games are being put on ice.
Fans on the Gaming Leaks and Rumours subreddit shared a post that seemingly confirms that Speedhunters has been canceled. This was a website focused on car culture, where enthusiasts and photographers would talk about their love for these vehicles. One of the authors claimed that the site was closing because EA has shelved its Need for Speed series.
Speedhunters was being financed by EA, seemingly as a way to tie into their NFS games, so shelving both of them has been heartbreaking for many.
Developer Criterion had been in charge of the Need for Speed games and often saw positive to mixed results for their releases. Expectations were high, due to their experience with Burnout, but fans found out the hard way that competitive street racing and destruction-based gameplay don’t always mix. Criterion will still be around, though it looks like the company will be stuck on the Battlefield mines in the foreseeable future.
People can say a lot about the NFS games, but Criterion was always trying different things with the franchise. Whether it was focusing on the open-world, Fast and Furious-style single-player campaigns, or just the racing, this company was always trying something new. However, with titles like Forza becoming the go-to vehicle game and Mario Kart World being a multiplayer favorite, EA’s series is having a hard time finding a place for itself.
Because the series is “on ice,” there’s always a chance that EA will bring back Need for Speed once a good idea for the racing series is presented. Until then, fans will have to be patient and enjoy the other racing games they have right now.
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