Please support Game Informer. Print magazine subscriptions are less than $2 per issue
Developer Salute – Criterion Games
There are many ways to contribute to this hobby of ours, and Criterion Games has done it all – and done it well.
I first came into contact with Criterion when they visited the office to show us the first Burnout back in 2001. I had not heard of the game before. Frankly, I wasn't sure how it would fare, but Criterion's focus on distilling and conveying the title's core experience of crashing cars has helped the studio thrive through the years.
I think Criterion titles are successful at identifying what kind of experience they want to present and then they get after it relentlessly. Picking out what's fun in a game sounds easy, but I've seen many titles through the years easily lose their way. Whether it's single-mindedness of a series like Burnout or being able to dial-in what's fun about physically racing a car, Criterion knows how to understand and execute its goals for the benefit of the player. You can see it in the way games like Burnout Paradise and Need for Speed: Most Wanted are structured to give you races at anytime, anywhere.
Apart from its excellent racing credentials, I also appreciate Criterion for its vision above the racing genre and software in general. The company started out with the RenderWare middleware tech that was the core behind titles like Grand Theft Auto III and which helped define the PlayStation 2 era much like Epic's Unreal Engine 3 did this current generation. Also don't forget that Criterion had the ambition to break down the wall between the single- and multiplayer components of Burnout Paradise in 2008 – a feature that is common today.
Even games that lacked commercial success like the PS2 shooter Black show the company trying out new frontiers. Criterion is currently exploring non-racing projects while simultaneously acting as the guiding force behind the Need for Speed series for parent company Electronic Arts. The fact that they are owned by EA hasn't seemed to hinder Criterion's independence, vision, or progress. If anything, it's helped it by disseminating its ideas and tech across the company.
I'm excited to see where Criterion goes next. It could be anywhere, but it's sure to be exciting.
I’d like to ask you to support Game Informer’s continued coverage of games with a subscription. For less than two dollars per issue, we mail you a full year of 10 print magazines, each with cover stories and preview features filled with exclusive details about the most exciting upcoming games. We profile and interview game creators. We look back on the rich history of gaming, and we celebrate what’s next.
Here on the website, we offer much of our content for free, including game reviews, daily news, videos, event coverage, and more – all with minimal ads.
We do so with a small editorial team, alongside contributing paid writers from around the world – over 65 individuals from 9 countries around the world, just in the last couple of years.
It’s not possible without support.
In a time when game makers and games coverage have faced hard struggles and layoffs, the future of this 30+ year magazine and community is at risk. Our new standalone magazine subscription is the number one way you can keep us alive – and we believe you’ll get a pretty fantastic gaming magazine in your mailbox every few weeks for your trouble.
Thank you.
