July 15, 2025, 2:20 pm | Read time: 2 minutes
The “Need for Speed” series is one of the most well-known racing game franchises, providing thrilling gameplay since 1994. To date, 25 installments have been released, and the brand’s popularity even led to a feature film. However, it appears that Electronic Arts (EA) has pulled the plug, according to an insider.
“Need for Speed” Development Permanently on Hold
This claim comes from photojournalist Matthew Everingham, who has long worked for the website Speedhunters. This is a magazine for car culture, operated by EA and closely linked to the “Need for Speed” brand, with the game series listed as an “Entertainment Partner.” In a new Instagram post, Everingham now states that Speedhunters has been put on hold and no longer receives funding. The reason, he says, is that EA has discontinued “Need for Speed.”
A look at the website reveals that Speedhunters has not been updated since April 8. The online shop is also offline. It seems EA has not invested in Speedhunters for months, reinforcing the impression that things do not look good for “Need for Speed.”
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Is the Decision Permanent?
As reported by “VGC,” EA announced in February that work on “Need for Speed” would at least be paused. The development studio responsible, Criterion, is to focus entirely on the new “Battlefield” installment and has reallocated teams from other projects for this purpose. Mixed reactions and disappointing sales figures for the latest installment, “Need for Speed Unbound,” may have further influenced the decision.
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Another sign that the brand is not faring well can be found on the game listing for “Need for Speed Rivals” in the Xbox Store. It states that the online servers will be shut down on October 7, 2025. Whether the discontinuation of the series will be permanent is currently uncertain. At least in February, EA hinted at a future return. TECHBOOK has requested a statement from EA to clarify the status. A response has yet to be received.