"I really want Criterion to be considered the best studio in the UK" – why the home of Burnout has a future with Battlefield

GamesIndustry.biz reports that Criterion’s identity has shifted decisively from Burnout and Need for Speed toward Battlefield, with leadership saying the studio’s current focus is the shooter franchise. Criterion was brought under EA Entertainment in 2023 specifically to work on Battlefield, and Battlefield 6 is the clearest sign yet of that transition.

Producer Stefan Wittelsbürger says Criterion was “heavily involved” in Battlefield 6, including the last two single-player missions and core systems such as destruction, combat flow, guns, hardware, and vehicle handling. Rebecka Coutaz says the key change is timing: Criterion is now involved from the beginning of development rather than being brought in near the end, which gives the team more influence over the game’s feel and structure.

The studio’s leadership is also framing Battlefield as a continuation of Criterion’s long-running design strengths rather than a hard pivot. Director of operations Amy Pejic points to “controlled chaos,” momentum, and spectacle as the same fingerprints that made Burnout memorable, while Wittelsbürger links that philosophy to Battlefield 6 moments like Operation Ember Strike.

Criterion today is 164 people across Guildford and Wilmslow, up from 30 staff in 2017. With Need for Speed dormant and Battlefield riding high after Battlefield 6, the studio is positioning itself as a broader AAA contributor inside EA rather than a one-franchise racing house.