{"id":183434,"date":"2025-06-11T00:31:42","date_gmt":"2025-06-11T00:31:42","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/?p=183434"},"modified":"2025-06-11T00:31:42","modified_gmt":"2025-06-11T00:31:42","slug":"is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/","title":{"rendered":"Is Need for Speed owned by EA?"},"content":{"rendered":"<div id=\"ez-toc-container\" class=\"ez-toc-v2_0_67_1 counter-hierarchy ez-toc-counter ez-toc-grey ez-toc-container-direction\">\n<div class=\"ez-toc-title-container\">\n<p class=\"ez-toc-title \" >Table of Contents<\/p>\n<span class=\"ez-toc-title-toggle\"><a href=\"#\" class=\"ez-toc-pull-right ez-toc-btn ez-toc-btn-xs ez-toc-btn-default ez-toc-toggle\" aria-label=\"Toggle Table of Content\"><span class=\"ez-toc-js-icon-con\"><span class=\"\"><span class=\"eztoc-hide\" style=\"display:none;\">Toggle<\/span><span class=\"ez-toc-icon-toggle-span\"><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" class=\"list-377408\" width=\"20px\" height=\"20px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" fill=\"none\"><path d=\"M6 6H4v2h2V6zm14 0H8v2h12V6zM4 11h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2zM4 16h2v2H4v-2zm16 0H8v2h12v-2z\" fill=\"currentColor\"><\/path><\/svg><svg style=\"fill: #999;color:#999\" class=\"arrow-unsorted-368013\" xmlns=\"http:\/\/www.w3.org\/2000\/svg\" width=\"10px\" height=\"10px\" viewBox=\"0 0 24 24\" version=\"1.2\" baseProfile=\"tiny\"><path d=\"M18.2 9.3l-6.2-6.3-6.2 6.3c-.2.2-.3.4-.3.7s.1.5.3.7c.2.2.4.3.7.3h11c.3 0 .5-.1.7-.3.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7zM5.8 14.7l6.2 6.3 6.2-6.3c.2-.2.3-.5.3-.7s-.1-.5-.3-.7c-.2-.2-.4-.3-.7-.3h-11c-.3 0-.5.1-.7.3-.2.2-.3.5-.3.7s.1.5.3.7z\"\/><\/svg><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/a><\/span><\/div>\n<nav><ul class='ez-toc-list ez-toc-list-level-1 ' ><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-1'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-1\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#Is_Need_for_Speed_Owned_by_EA\" title=\"Is Need for Speed Owned by EA?\">Is Need for Speed Owned by EA?<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-2' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-2\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#Introduction_to_Need_for_Speed_and_EA\" title=\"Introduction to Need for Speed and EA\">Introduction to Need for Speed and EA<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-3\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#History_of_Need_for_Speed\" title=\"History of Need for Speed\">History of Need for Speed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-2'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-4\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#FAQs\" title=\"FAQs\">FAQs<\/a><ul class='ez-toc-list-level-3' ><li class='ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-5\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#General_Questions\" title=\"General Questions\">General Questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-6\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#EA_and_Need_for_Speed\" title=\"EA and Need for Speed\">EA and Need for Speed<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-7\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#Game-Specific_Questions\" title=\"Game-Specific Questions\">Game-Specific Questions<\/a><\/li><li class='ez-toc-page-1 ez-toc-heading-level-3'><a class=\"ez-toc-link ez-toc-heading-8\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/#Additional_Information\" title=\"Additional Information\">Additional Information<\/a><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/li><\/ul><\/nav><\/div>\n<h1><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Is_Need_for_Speed_Owned_by_EA\"><\/span>Is Need for Speed Owned by EA?<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h1>\n<p>Need for Speed (<strong>NFS<\/strong>) is indeed <strong>owned by Electronic Arts (EA)<\/strong>, a renowned American video game company that has been publishing the franchise since its inception, with the current development handled by <strong>Criterion Games<\/strong>, the developers of the <strong>Burnout<\/strong> series. The <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> franchise has undergone significant transformations over the years, with <strong>EA<\/strong> playing a pivotal role in shaping its direction and ensuring its continued success in the gaming industry.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Introduction_to_Need_for_Speed_and_EA\"><\/span>Introduction to Need for Speed and EA<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> series was originally developed by <strong>Distinctive Software<\/strong>, a video game studio based in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada, before <strong>Electronic Arts<\/strong> acquired the company in <strong>1991<\/strong>. This acquisition marked the beginning of <strong>EA&#8217;s<\/strong> involvement in the <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> franchise, which has since become one of the most popular and enduring racing game franchises in the world.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"History_of_Need_for_Speed\"><\/span>History of Need for Speed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<p>The <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> series has a rich history, with the first game released in <strong>1994<\/strong>. Over the years, the franchise has undergone significant changes, with various developers contributing to its growth and evolution. <strong>EA<\/strong> has played a crucial role in shaping the franchise, introducing new features, and exploring different genres, such as <strong>Need for Speed: World<\/strong>, which was the first <strong>high-budget NFS game to be completely free-to-play<\/strong>.<\/p>\n<h2><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"FAQs\"><\/span>FAQs<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h2>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"General_Questions\"><\/span>General Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol>\n<li><strong>What is Need for Speed?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> is a racing game franchise published by <strong>Electronic Arts<\/strong> and currently developed by <strong>Criterion Games<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Why did EA shut down Need for Speed: World?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>EA<\/strong> shut down <strong>Need for Speed: World<\/strong> on <strong>July 14, 2015<\/strong>, as the publisher felt that the game no longer lived up to the high standard set by the <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> franchise.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is Need for Speed Heat made by EA?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>Need for Speed Heat<\/strong> is developed by <strong>Ghost Games<\/strong> and published by <strong>Electronic Arts<\/strong> for <strong>PlayStation 4<\/strong>, <strong>Windows<\/strong>, and <strong>Xbox One<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"EA_and_Need_for_Speed\"><\/span>EA and Need for Speed<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"4\">\n<li><strong>Is Need for Speed in EA Play?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> is included with <strong>EA Play<\/strong>, which offers instant access to <strong>Need for Speed Unbound<\/strong> and other best-loved titles from <strong>EA<\/strong>, plus a <strong>10% member discount<\/strong> and member-only content.<\/li>\n<li><strong>When did EA buy Need for Speed?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Electronic Arts<\/strong> acquired <strong>Distinctive Software<\/strong>, the original developer of <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong>, in <strong>1991<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>How much is EA Play?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>EA Play<\/strong> costs <strong>$4.99<\/strong> a month or <strong>$29.99<\/strong> for a full year, while <strong>EA Play Pro<\/strong> costs <strong>$14.99<\/strong> a month or <strong>$99.99<\/strong> for a full year.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Game-Specific_Questions\"><\/span>Game-Specific Questions<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"7\">\n<li><strong>Is Need for Speed Hot Pursuit on EA Play?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>Need for Speed Hot Pursuit Remastered<\/strong> is now on <strong>The Play List<\/strong> with <strong>EA Play<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is NFS Unbound made by EA?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>Need for Speed Unbound<\/strong> is developed by <strong>Criterion Games<\/strong> and published by <strong>Electronic Arts<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Does Need for Speed Heat swear?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>Need for Speed Heat<\/strong> contains some profanity, including the words &#8220;<strong>sh<em>t<\/strong>&#8221; and &#8220;<strong>a<\/em>shole<\/strong>&#8220;.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Can you get banned in Need for Speed Heat?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, players can get banned in <strong>Need for Speed Heat<\/strong> if they are found to be cheating with the intention of ruining the game for others.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n<h3><span class=\"ez-toc-section\" id=\"Additional_Information\"><\/span>Additional Information<span class=\"ez-toc-section-end\"><\/span><\/h3>\n<ol start=\"11\">\n<li><strong>Does Need for Speed still exist?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>Need for Speed<\/strong> is still an active franchise, with the latest installment, <strong>Need for Speed Unbound<\/strong>, released in <strong>2022<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What game did EA stop making?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>EA<\/strong> stopped making <strong>FIFA<\/strong> games after <strong>FIFA 23<\/strong>, as their licensing agreement with <strong>FIFA<\/strong> came to an end.<\/li>\n<li><strong>What games are EA shutting down?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>EA<\/strong> is shutting down several games, including <strong>Battlefield 1943<\/strong>, <strong>Bad Company<\/strong>, and <strong>Bad Company 2<\/strong>, as well as <strong>Crysis 3<\/strong>, <strong>Dante&#8217;s Inferno<\/strong>, and <strong>Dead Space 2<\/strong>.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Do EA employees get free games?<\/strong> &#8211; Yes, <strong>EA<\/strong> employees receive <strong>game credits<\/strong> and <strong>console reimbursement<\/strong>, allowing them to play the games they help create.<\/li>\n<li><strong>Is EA Play only 10 hours?<\/strong> &#8211; <strong>EA Play<\/strong> offers a <strong>10-hour trial<\/strong> for select new release games, with the option to purchase the full game and carry over saved progress.<\/li>\n<\/ol>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>Is Need for Speed Owned by EA? Need for Speed (NFS) is indeed owned by Electronic Arts (EA), a renowned American video game company that has been publishing the franchise since its inception, with the current development handled by Criterion Games, the developers of the Burnout series. The Need for Speed franchise has undergone significant &#8230; <a title=\"Is Need for Speed owned by EA?\" class=\"read-more\" href=\"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/is-need-for-speed-owned-by-ea\/\" aria-label=\"More on Is Need for Speed owned by EA?\">Read more<\/a><\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[3],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-183434","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-blog"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183434","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=183434"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/183434\/revisions"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=183434"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=183434"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.gameslearningsociety.org\/wiki\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=183434"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}