Burnout (series)

Lore & Background

Burnout's origins came by way of Criterion Games, a division of Criterion Software Ltd. established in 1999 to showcase the type of games that its RenderWare game engine was capable of, with Fiona Sperry in charge. Their first game was a fast-paced skateboarding game, TrickStyle, published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Dreamcast and released in 1999. As a follow-up title, Sperry's team, now with Alex Ward on board, developed a racing game that showed off the capabilities of the newest iteration of RenderWare, named Burnout, also published by Acclaim in 2001. Burnout was aimed to be an arcade-style racer, placing fun over realism as series like Gran Turismo offered. A sequel, Burnout 2: Point of Impact, was released by Acclaim in 2002, introducing the series' signature 'Crash mode', in which players would drive a car into a tableau of other cars and objects to try to do as much damage as possible. At this point in the series, the games were focused on driving on rural and country roads, and while the crashing mechanics were part of the game, these were not emphasized as gameplay elements but simply the undesirable, though often spectacular, result of a collision.

In 2004, Acclaim filed for bankruptcy and sold off its existing properties to other publishers. Electronic Arts (EA) acquired Criterion Games as well as the rights to the Burnout series and RenderWare for an estimated US$48 million that year. Burnout 3: Takedown took the series in a different route, as Criterion incorporated some of the more combative elements from the SSX series, such that players were 'fighting through traffic' rather than just 'racing through traffic', according to Ward. Players were able to ram into opponents to focus them into crashes ('Takedowns'), which not only temporarily knocked them out from racing but also benefit the player by providing some boosting effects. Burnout 3 was highly successful, with more than 2.3 million copies sold through 2006 in the United States alone. Criterion continued to develop additional Burnout games, culminating in Burnout Paradise in 2008, which was envisioned by Ward as putting the Burnout series in an open world, giving players the option of what routes to take to complete races, alongside other traditional game modes, while adding a social element to the game.

Reader's Guide

The Burnout series is significant for its evolution from a straightforward arcade racer into a franchise defined by crash spectacle and aggressive driving mechanics. The introduction of Crash mode in Burnout 2: Point of Impact became the series' hallmark, while Burnout 3: Takedown's 'takedown' system—allowing players to ram opponents into crashes for boost rewards—differentiated it from other racing games and was noted to borrow combative elements from the SSX series. The series' success led to EA's acquisition of Criterion Games and the Burnout IP in 2004 after Acclaim's bankruptcy. Burnout Paradise in 2008 shifted the series to an open-world format, allowing players to choose routes and adding social features. The series also influenced the Need for Speed franchise: after Criterion developed Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit in 2010, they became the lead studio for that series, and later Need for Speed titles such as Heat and Unbound incorporated loose Burnout elements like billboard destruction and ramps. However, in 2013, oversight of Need for Speed was transferred to Ghost Games, and Alex Ward stated that Criterion would steer away from racing, placing the future of Burnout into question. Sperry and Ward left Criterion in early 2014 to form Three Fields Entertainment, which worked on a spiritual successor to Burnout with Dangerous Driving. As of the article, the Burnout IP remains with EA.

Did You Know?

• Burnout 2: Point of Impact introduced the series' signature 'Crash mode' in 2002.
• Electronic Arts acquired Criterion Games and the Burnout rights for an estimated US$48 million in 2004 after Acclaim's bankruptcy.
• A J2ME version of Burnout for mobile phones was developed by Rovio Entertainment and released in 2007.

Origins & the RenderWare Showcase

Criterion Games was established in 1999 as a division of Criterion Software Ltd., with the explicit purpose of demonstrating what their RenderWare game engine could achieve. Fiona Sperry led the team, and their debut title was TrickStyle, a fast-paced skateboarding game published by Acclaim Entertainment for the Dreamcast. When the team moved on to their next project, Alex Ward joined Sperry's group, and together they developed a racing game designed to push the latest version of RenderWare to its limits. The result was Burnout, released in 2001 and again published by Acclaim. The design philosophy was deliberately arcade-oriented, prioritizing pure fun and exhilaration over the simulation-style accuracy that franchises like Gran Turismo pursued. This commitment to speed, spectacle, and accessibility became the foundational identity of the entire series, setting it apart from the more grounded racing titles of the era.

From Collateral Damage to Central Gameplay

In the original Burnout, crashes were primarily the unfortunate consequence of high-speed driving — spectacular, yes, but not a deliberate gameplay mechanic. The slow-motion replays showing cars deforming in real time captured public attention, and Criterion recognized the audience's appetite for destruction. Burnout 2: Point of Impact, released by Acclaim in 2002, formalized this by introducing Crash mode, where players deliberately drove into tableaux of vehicles and objects to maximize damage. By Burnout 3: Takedown, the series had shifted further toward combat, borrowing combative elements from the SSX franchise. Alex Ward described the change as moving from 'racing through traffic' to 'fighting through traffic.' Players could ram opponents into crashes, earning points and boost rewards, making aggression a core strategic element rather than a side effect.

The Acclaim Collapse and EA's Acquisition

The series' trajectory was dramatically altered in 2004 when Acclaim Entertainment filed for bankruptcy and sold its properties to other publishers. Electronic Arts acquired Criterion Games, the Burnout franchise, and RenderWare for an estimated US$48 million. The relationship between the two companies had a complicated history: EA had previously wanted Criterion to develop an open-world skateboarding title called Skate or Die! in 2002, but the project was abandoned after the team could not make the concept work. This left lingering tension. In 2003, EA reached out to resolve matters and commissioned a second Burnout sequel, but Criterion agreed only on the condition that they retain full creative control. By the time Acclaim collapsed, Burnout 3 was nearly complete. EA's acquisition ultimately allowed the series to continue under a more stable publisher, and Burnout 3 went on to sell over 2.3 million copies in the United States alone through 2006.

Legacy, Need for Speed, and the Road Ahead

After Burnout Paradise in 2008, Criterion's relationship with the racing genre evolved. Around 2008–2009, staff informally asked if they could work on a Need for Speed title, and EA granted them the opportunity. The result, 2010's Hot Pursuit, was both a critical and commercial success and established Criterion as the lead studio for the franchise. Its 2012 follow-up, Most Wanted, continued to incorporate Burnout-inspired elements. However, in 2013, EA transferred Need for Speed oversight to Ghost Games and moved 80% of Criterion's developers. Alex Ward publicly stated that Criterion would be moving away from racing, casting doubt on Burnout's future. Sperry and Ward departed in early 2014 to found Three Fields Entertainment, which spent years developing smaller projects before releasing Dangerous Driving as a spiritual successor. The Burnout IP remains with EA, and elements of the series have continued to surface in later Need for Speed titles, including Heat and Unbound.

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