Criterion Games

Criterion Games is a British game studio founded in 1993 that ranks among the most influential racing game developers in the history of the video game industry. The studio is best known for the Burnout series, which set a new standard for arcade racing with its high speeds, aggressive driving style, and spectacular crashes.

The company’s greatest successes include Burnout 3: Takedown, Burnout Revenge, Burnout Paradise, Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012), and Need for Speed Unbound. The Burnout series has won over millions of fans thanks to its unique combination of racing, destruction, and adrenaline, while Criterion’s Need for Speed titles rank among the highest-rated entries in the entire franchise.

The studio is known for its technological innovations and the development of the RenderWare graphics engine, which has been used in dozens of legendary games, including the GTA, Tony Hawk’s Pro Skater, and Mortal Kombat series. As a result, Criterion has had a significant impact on the entire gaming industry.

Today, Criterion Games is part of Electronic Arts and continues to contribute to the development of the Need for Speed series. Thanks to titles such as Burnout Paradise and Need for Speed Hot Pursuit, it is among the most respected studios in the racing game genre, and its work is still considered the pinnacle of the genre.