News Post

Is Criterion now Rebooting Need for Speed Underground?

11:41 AM - April 12, 2013 by RaychelSnr

Need for Speed Most Wanted: A Criterion game. One of the reboots Criterion has done for the NFS franchise.

EGM is reporting on a rumor that Criterion is developing a Need For Speed Underground reboot which will be set in a newly refreshed/rebooted Bayview. Sources sent EGM a logo which purportedly will be part of the games' box art. Also adding to the intrigue are the LinkedIn profiles of several Criterion employees who list an unannounced EA title in their profiles.

But all good rumors must come with a denial, which the creative director Alex Ward at Criterion certainly seems to have done. However, we do know something new is coming from Criterion and it is most certainly a racer. At the present time, it is expected Ghost Games is developing this year's Need for Speed which will run on the Frostbite 3 engine.

What do you guys think Criterion is working on?

Member Comments

# 1 Duece @ 04/12/13 12:08 PM

As a Midnight Club fan, I'll be paying attention. I loved NFS UG2.

# 2 aimiami @ 04/12/13 04:13 PM

everyone wants this game and they dont seem to care... ea this is why your the worst company

# 3 2k10Fonzarelli @ 04/12/13 04:31 PM

according to this : http://www.gamespot.com/news/criterion-shoots-down-nfs-underground-reboot-rumors-6406908

its not happening.

Please dont ask why I was at gamespot

# 4 murph17 @ 04/12/13 04:35 PM

Ummm, can we just get Criterion to reboot Burnout 3 already?

# 5 BLACKjersey53 @ 04/12/13 05:11 PM

I've wanted this game forever. Midnight Club just doesn't fill the void anymore. Some of the cars in that game feel outdated. When that game came out, the Dodge Challenger was still a concept, the Camaro may have been a concept too. When I think of Need For Speed games, Underground 2 is still, by far, my favorite. The street races, drifts, and all the car customization options kept me on that game for a long time. With the visuals and awesome car list of the last NFS game, I hope the rumor is true. Sometimes I want to drag race in a muscle car. Sometimes I want to win drift competitions in a 370z. And sometimes I just want to put 28'' rims on a Hummer and bulldoze the competition. Correct me if I'm wrong, but you can't even pick the color of your car in the new Most Wanted, can you? Isn't it more like a GTA pay 'n spray type deal?

# 6 ps3veron @ 04/13/13 02:24 AM

Underground was my favorite NFS series for a long time. Although I liked what Criterion did with Hot Pursuit, I really didn't like Most Wanted (aka Burnout Paradise 2). If they're even thinking of doing this, they better stick to the roots and not make some Tony Hawk hybrid racing game (Flip an Evoque in a skate park and try and land it on top of a building is not NFS!).

# 7 Wanzibar @ 04/13/13 09:19 AM

I picked up underground 2 the other day from my local game shop. Ever since then I've been really into playing my original Xbox. I also picked up NBA inside drive 2004 and NFL Fever 2004. Life ha sbeen great but I'd love a current gen Underground game even if it was just an underground collection with HD graphics. I'd take the exact same game in HD for $30!

# 8 smlmeyer @ 04/13/13 07:34 PM

I'd like to see an Underground reboot of some sort but I wouldn't like the treatment that Most Wanted got. Wasn't a fan. Much preferred Forza Horizon and preferred Forza 4 to that even.

# 9 Duece @ 04/22/13 09:05 PM

BLACKjersey53, I agree with you. Midnight Club LA is showing it's age and it's pretty clear that Rockstar is done with the series or they would've put out another entry in the series. If EA were smart they would fill this void by rebooting Underground. Take what made Underground so good and take the good elements from Midnight Club (living city, day/night cycle, police) and use this opportunity to make a good open world street racer.

Many Midnight Club fans are hungry as hell for this.

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Is Criterion now Rebooting Need for Speed Underground?