Criterion Games

Criterion Games at a Glance

Criterion Games stands as a long-standing developer from the United Kingdom with a history spanning from 1996 to 2022. They have released 21 games in total, all under their own development banner while acting solely as developers rather than publishers. Their catalog is heavily concentrated in the racing genre with 17 titles, though they also produced four simulator games and four sports games. You will find their work on a wide array of systems including PC, PlayStation 2, Xbox 360, Xbox, PlayStation 3, Dreamcast, and newer consoles like Xbox Series X|S and PlayStation 5. The quality of their output has been generally solid over the years. Across 16 titles that have received ratings, the average score sits at 76.4 out of 100. Their portfolio includes seven great-rated games scoring 80 or higher, seven good-rated entries between 60 and 79, and two mixed-rated titles in the 40 to 59 range. No game from their catalog falls into the poor category below 40. The highest scores belong to their racing classics, such as Burnout 3: Takedown which holds an 88.2 rating and Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit - Limited Edition with a 92 score. Other high-performing titles include Burnout Paradise, Burnout Revenge, and Burnout Legends. Their production volume changed significantly over the decades. The studio released five games in the 1990s and nine during the 2000s. This output slowed down considerably in the 2010s to just four games, before picking up slightly with three releases in the 2020s. Recent activity shows them focusing on the Need for Speed franchise with titles like Need for Speed Unbound released in November 2022. The standard version of that game received a 75.3 rating, while its remastered predecessor from 2020 scored 78.3. While their output decreased in frequency after their peak years, the studio maintained a consistent presence on major gaming platforms throughout their nearly three-decade run.

Release Timeline

Rating Distribution