The future of the Need for Speed series has been cast into uncertainty

Need for Speed, one of the legendary racing series in the gaming world, may no longer be supported by Electronic Arts (EA). Matthew Everingham, a writer for the Speedhunters platform, announced that EA has ceased funding for the series and that the project has been put on hold. This development indicates that the active development process for Need for Speed has come to an end.

The Speedhunters platform was known as an important digital community that brought car enthusiasts together. However, there have been no updates on the platform since April 8, 2025. In a post on Instagram, Everingham summarized the situation with these words: “Speedhunters is frozen. EA has shelved the Need for Speed series. This means there is no more funding for us.”

The games in the series released between 2015 and 2019, in particular, received mixed reviews from critics and players. Although Need for Speed Unbound, released in 2022, was technically advanced, it failed to reach the sales figures EA expected. This became a significant factor directly affecting the future of the series.

In 2023, EA restructured Criterion Games, the studio that developed Need for Speed, to support the Battlefield series. This change is seen as an indicator that EA no longer prioritizes racing games. The company's new goal is to reach 100 million players with Battlefield 6. This target is quite ambitious when compared to the 45 million players reached to date by the leader in racing games, Forza Horizon 5.

Over the years, the Need for Speed series won the hearts of a generation with unforgettable games such as Underground, Most Wanted, and Carbon. However, EA's strategic shift in direction and funding cuts are driving the future of the series into uncertainty. Although no official cancellation statement has been made, the future of this nostalgia-filled series currently looks bleak.

News Source: 12punto