Now that Criterion is assigned to the license Need for Speed, and until further notice only to this one, it was to be expected that some studio employees would decide to change air. This is currently happening within the team with GamesIndustry.biz reporting that several veterans of Criterion announce they are leaving the studio, a few days after the release of Need for Speed Unbound.
Internal disruption
The employees concerned are important personalities of the studio, since they are Matt Webstervice-president; Pete Lakeexecutive producer ; Andrei Shirestechnical director ; Steve Uphill, loaded with content; and Alan McDairmant, who is the head of development within the studio. All leave to see elsewhere, without really knowing why, even if it certainly has to do with the merger of the studio with Codemaster Cheshire. The most notable departure is obviously that of Webster, since he was present at Electronic Arts for more than 20 years.
Some changes are therefore taking place internally, with Charity Joy who becomes responsible for the license Need for Speedwhile Geoff Smith is quitting his job at Codemaster (and therefore on Grid and dirt) to also focus on the series Need for Speed. As you will have understood, the priority is this license.