How a racing revival smashed two legendary franchises together

History · Published 6 October 2026 Swipe more like this →

In short: In 2012, Criterion Games attempted a daring experiment: blending the high-octane chaos of Burnout with the prestige of Need for Speed. The result was a massive, open-world reconstruction of a classic, designed to prioritize online connectivity and social competition over traditional storytelling.

Released in 2012, Need for Speed: Most Wanted was not a direct sequel but a revival of the 2005 original. Developed by Criterion Games, the title aimed to 'shake up' the franchise by shifting focus from offline single-player experiences to a 'multiplayer first' philosophy. To achieve this, the developers integrated 'Autolog,' a social competition system, and 'Cloudcompete,' a cross-platform system that allowed players to maintain progress across different devices.

The gameplay mechanics were a deliberate hybrid. While the game abandoned the narrative structure of its predecessor, it adopted the environmental elements of the Burnout series, such as destructible billboards, fences, and drive-through repair garages. The setting moved from the original Rockport to the new, expansive city of Fairhaven, which featured an industrial district, a beach, and the massive I-92 highway. Players could engage in various event types, including Sprint, Circuit, and Speed runs, as well as Ambush races against police forces.

The driving model sat in a unique middle ground: more physical and deep than an arcade racer, yet far from a true simulator. Players could customize a wide range of vehicles—from muscle cars to exotics—using 'EasyDrive' to modify performance mid-use. This era of the franchise also saw significant technological experimentation, including Kinect support for voice commands on the Xbox 360 and a unique 'Co-Driver' mode for the Wii U that utilized the GamePad for real-time navigation assistance.

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