With Harmonix breathing new life into Rock Band and Guitar Hero securing a new gig at Activision, there is a renewed interest in franchises from the noughties simply vying for a shot on the eight generation of consoles. Take the Burnount series, for instance; following the release of five games in the space of seven years, the IP quickly receded from the limelight, and there hasn’t been a fully-fledged release since Paradise in 2008.
In addition, developer Criterion Games has shifted resources to work on an all-new, as-yet-untitled IP that brings the studio’s particular brand of mayhem to a variety of adrenaline sports. So, where does that leave the high-speed racing series? According to former developer Alex Ward, a new Burnout-type title is being pitched at Three Fields Entertainment.
Always good to see that people loved those games. I think @3FieldsEnt will begin work on a racing title soon…
— Alex Ward (@CrashedAlex) April 12, 2015
But first of all, we have our first game to debut and release this year. Things are hotting up..
— Alex Ward (@CrashedAlex) April 12, 2015
It’s worth keeping in mind that Ward doesn’t specifically reference the Burnout franchise, but given his past experience on board Criterion’s dormant series, there’s every chance that, should Three Fields Entertainment push ahead with this nascent project, it will be imbued with some of the sensibilities associated with said franchise.
Fans have been petitioning for a direct sequel to Burnout Paradise – arguably the best entry in the series – for quite some time, and the thought of Criterion alum taking the open-world setting and expanding it through the power of the PlayStation 4 and Xbox One is certainly an exciting prospect. But at this time, it remains just that, a delightful possibility.
