Codemasters Cheshire merged with Criterion Games to work on next Need For Speed games under EA

Electronic Arts has merged Codemasters Cheshire, which was formed by MotorStorm developers, into Criterion Games. The expanded team will be responsible for upcoming games in the Need For Speed series.

Criterion will now include not only its original team in Guilford but also developers in Cheshire, according to a GamesIndustry.biz report. No layoffs were announced with these changes.

“Sharing common values and similar cultures, we strongly believe unifying the huge wealth of experience across both teams will help us to deliver the best racing experiences we can for our players,” EA’s statement reads.

Codemasters Cheshire was formed in 2016 when Sony shut down Evolution Studios, a team behind the MotorStorm racing games, and Codemasters hired most of the employees.

Last year, EA completed the $1.2 billion acquisition of Codemasters. The developer’s office in Birmingham will continue to work on the Formula 1 series, while Cheshire-based studio will help Criterion create further titles in the Need For Speed franchise.