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Is a New Need for Speed in Development? What EA Has Confirmed

EA has not announced a new Need for Speed. Its statements trace Criterion’s shift to Battlefield, while leaving the franchise’s long-term future unconfirmed.
WorldDevelopment? What EA Has Confirmed Length3 min Posted Quest giverVGSources Team
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There is no official confirmation that a new Need for Speed is in development. A May 2025 report repeated an insider’s claim, but also said EA debunked the surrounding rumor. EA’s public updates instead show Criterion shifting toward Battlefield work; they do not establish that the Need for Speed franchise has been permanently cancelled.

Is EA making another Need for Speed?

As of October 2026, EA has not announced a new Need for Speed game in the sources available here. There is no confirmed title, release date, platform list, or preorder. The claim that another game “could already be in development” should therefore be read as speculation, not an EA announcement.

The distinction matters because updates about Criterion’s staffing and priorities are not the same as a statement about the future of the entire franchise. EA’s public record leaves room for a future Need for Speed project, but does not confirm one is underway.

What EA and later reporting have said

Date What was said What it establishes
September 20, 2023 EA Group General Manager Vince Zampella said most of Criterion would join Battlefield teams, while a core group continued work on Need for Speed’s future: “Work will also continue on what’s next for Need for Speed.” (EA announcement) EA described a plan at that time; it is not proof of active development today.
February 3, 2025 EA’s Need for Speed Unbound team said: “As you might know, we’re joining our colleagues at Criterion, working on the future of Battlefield.” (EA’s Unbound update) The update described the Unbound team joining Battlefield work. It did not announce a Need for Speed successor.
May 29, 2025 A report relayed an insider’s claim that a new Need for Speed was in development, while also reporting that EA debunked the surrounding rumor. (TheGamer report) An unconfirmed insider claim, not evidence of an announced or confirmed game.
October 10, 2025 EA described DICE, Criterion, Motive, and Ripple Effect as collaborating on Battlefield 6. (EA’s Battlefield Studios announcement) Criterion was part of EA’s Battlefield Studios collaboration.
Current studio information and July 2026 reporting EA’s Criterion page describes the studio as part of Battlefield Studios and says it is building the next Battlefield experience. A July 2026 AutoPapo report attributes to Battlefield Studios executive Rebecka Coutaz the description that Criterion is focused solely on Battlefield. (AutoPapo report) The official page and later reporting point to Criterion’s Battlefield focus. Neither establishes permanent cancellation of Need for Speed across EA.

What happened to Need for Speed?

The clearest picture is a change in Criterion’s stated work, not a confirmed end to the series. In 2023, EA said a core group would continue shaping what came next for Need for Speed while most of Criterion moved to Battlefield. By February 2025, EA said the Unbound team was joining Criterion colleagues working on Battlefield. EA’s later studio materials place Criterion within Battlefield Studios.

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That timeline makes a new game less certain than the 2023 statement alone might suggest, but it does not prove that EA has cancelled the franchise or that no other EA team could work on it. The July 2026 statement is reported as Criterion’s focus; it should not be expanded into a definitive claim about every future Need for Speed project.

How to judge claims about a new game

  • Look for an EA announcement. A named game, official reveal, release date, or platform details would be stronger confirmation than an anonymous or insider claim.
  • Check what a source is actually describing. A studio’s staffing or current focus does not, by itself, prove the franchise is cancelled or that a successor is in production.
  • Keep dates in view. EA’s 2023 plan predates the 2025 team update and later Battlefield Studios information. Do not treat the earlier plan as confirmation of the present-day development status.
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What can Need for Speed fans play now?

Need for Speed Unbound is an existing entry in the series. EA’s February 2025 post marks the end of its Unbound team’s “Kaizen” work and describes that team joining Battlefield colleagues; it is not an announcement of a sequel. (EA’s Unbound update)

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