Codemasters Cheshire was initially rumored to be working as a support studio on the next Need for Speed. This was followed by EA senior recruiter Pete Johnson posting on LinkedIn, seeking an experienced producer for the studio as it embarked on “an extraordinary journey to deliver the future of Need for Speed” with Criterion. The studios actually combining together is the real surprise though. No redundancies have been made and Codemasters Birmingham will continue working on Formula 1 titles (like the upcoming F1 22).

A spokesperson for Electronic Arts stated that, “This integration builds off the close partnership the two studios have developed over the past few months. Sharing common values and similar cultures, we strongly believe unifying the huge wealth of experience across both teams will help us to deliver the best racing experiences we can for our players.”

After the release of DriveClub and its closure, Evolution Studios would be initially acquired by Codemasters where it worked on OnRush. Codemasters was then subsequently acquired by Electronic Arts for $1.2 billion last year. The next Need for Speed doesn’t have a release date but according to journalist Jeff Grubb, it will reportedly have photo-realistic graphics with “anime elements.” It’s also apparently set in Lake Shore City, which is based on Chicago and made to feel like a “real city.”

As spotted by Henderson, recently, Pete Johnson – senior recruiter at EA – took to LinkedIn to call for applicants for a producer role at the studio. Interestingly, Johnson’s post suggests that Codemasters Cheshire isn’t just working on 2022’s Need for Speed game, but other future instalments in the franchise as well.

“We are looking for an experienced Producer to join the studio, as we embark on an extraordinary journey to deliver the future of Need for Speed,” Johnson wrote.

“Codemasters Cheshire will come together with Criterion Games to create the future of Need for Speed,” he added. “Starting with the next Need for Speed title then extending to future facing initiatives, Codemasters Cheshire will work with Criterion on creative, technical and feature execution in service to the vision outlined in the Need for Speed strategy.”

Recently, new details on the racing game leaked, talking about its open world, visual style, multiplayer, and more. Read more on that through here.

The next Need for Speed is rumoured to launch by November of this year, and according to reports, it will only release for PS5, Xbox Series X/S, and PC.

It looks like Codemasters Cheshire will now be working on future Need for Speed titles indefinitely. pic.twitter.com/Q2o4MFYz5K

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) April 25, 2022

According to Henderson in a new tweet, Codemasters Cheshire is becoming a support studio for the next Need for Speed. The studio is perhaps best known for being the success to Evolution Studios, which developed Motorstorm and Driveclub before eventually releasing Onrush under Deep Silver. It would subsequently develop DiRT 5. While we advise taking this rumor with a grain of salt, Henderson has been fairly on the money with leaks and reports.

This doesn’t exactly narrow down the scope or level of realism that the next Need for Speed will have. Time will ultimately tell how it pans out and whether the studio serving as support was always the plan or a last-minute decision to meet deadlines. Stay tuned for an official announcement sometime in the coming months.

SCOOP – Codemasters Cheshire is to become a support studio for the next Need For Speed title. pic.twitter.com/yCFtLr2aji

— Tom Henderson (@_Tom_Henderson_) February 10, 2022

We’ve said it before, and we’ll say it again. Cross-play should be the standard for multi-platform games. In a better world, every game would launch with it. Well, Codemasters, the developers of the excellent DiRT 5, are bringing us a little closer to that perfect world with their latest update, which will cross-platform multiplayer to the game.

Since the update’s biggest addition is cross-platform play, you might be wondering why it’s called Red Bull Revolution. Well, the update adds a lot of other stuff, too, including several Red Bull liveries for your cars and an archway for Playground mode. In addition, Codemasters is adding new weather features. You will now be able to make tracks wet and low on grip and also race in stormy conditions.

The update also introduces ghost laps in time trial mode. Ghost laps are a pretty common feature in racing games, so it’s ice to see Codemasters add it here. Players will be able to see several kinds of lap ghosts: the fastest on record, the global closest to your best, the closest to you on your friends list, and your personal best.

The update is scheduled to release tomorrow., May 11th.