EA Allegedly Shelves Need for Speed Game Series, Speedhunters Put On Ice

Electronic Arts has reportedly shelved the Need for Speed video game series. Although EA has not issued an official statement, several developments indicate the franchise is currently inactive. On July 11, 2025, Matthew Everingham, a photojournalist and long-time contributor to the EA-funded automotive website Speedhunters, stated on Facebook that “Speedhunters is on ice. EA shelved Need For Speed, and that means no more funding for the site.” Everingham also wrote, “Grateful for everything — the trips, the stories, the lifelong mates.”

Speedhunters, launched in 2008 by EA with Rod Chong as its founding creative director, has focused on car culture, motorsports, and related photography. As of July 2025, the site has not published new content in several months. Its online store is no longer active, and its social media profile pictures have been replaced with black squares. No other contributors to Speedhunters have made public statements about the site’s status.

On February 23, 2025, EA announced that Criterion Games, developer of Need for Speed Unbound, would be moved to support the development of the next Battlefield game. EA said Criterion was joining DICE, Ripple Effect, and Motive in creating a “connected Battlefield universe” with a focus on single-player content. EA also mentioned a smaller group within Criterion would continue to work on future Need for Speed ideas, but no further updates have been provided. Need for Speed Unbound was released in December 2022.

Prior to Criterion’s involvement, Need for Speed titles were developed by Ghost Games. In 2020, Ghost Games was restructured and renamed EA Gothenburg, which now serves as a support studio.

On October 7, 2025, EA will shut down the online servers for Need for Speed Rivals, originally released in 2013. EA has not provided additional details regarding the decision.

In 2020, a class-action lawsuit was filed in Canada against EA, listing Need for Speed: Payback among several titles alleged to contain unlicensed gambling systems. The plaintiffs claimed that EA sold loot boxes for real money that included randomized in-game items. The suit was filed under Canada’s Criminal Code and the British Columbia Consumer Protection Act and sought damages and injunctive relief.

EA’s use of loot boxes has also been reviewed internationally. In March 2023, an Austrian court ruled that the sale of FIFA Ultimate Team card packs constituted illegal gambling and required EA to issue refunds. In 2017, Belgian authorities investigated Star Wars Battlefront II and similar games. EA temporarily disabled loot boxes in Battlefront II during the investigation. While the Canadian lawsuit specifically named Need for Speed: Payback, no ruling or regulatory action has been confirmed in connection with that title.

Public discussion about the status of Speedhunters had already begun before Everingham’s post. In early July 2025, a Reddit thread titled “It Looks Like Speedhunters is Dead” raised concerns about the site’s inactivity.

As of July 2025, EA has not confirmed the cancellation of the Need for Speed franchise. Since the series debuted in 1994, EA has released more than 20 titles. The most recent game, Need for Speed Unbound, was released in December 2022.

EA is currently focused on two major franchises. A new Battlefield game is scheduled for release before March 31, 2026. A public reveal is expected in summer 2025. In addition, Madden NFL 26 is scheduled for release in October 2025. EA has a multi-year licensing agreement with the NFL.

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