Criterion Games worked on a concept called “Need for Speed: Millionaire,” studio director Alex Ward said today on Twitter.
“Before [Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit], we toyed with a concept called NFS Millionaire. After a lottery win, you bought all the Supercars for you and your friends,” Ward said.
“It was supposed to be Freeburn meets Top Gear challenges,” he added. “We struggled with it for a bit before binning it off and make Hot Pursuit instead.”
Ward said Criterion worked on this concept for around six months and had a version of the game that was playable before it was ultimately tossed out.
“Don’t worry, we never threw away anything good,” Ward said. “It was mostly poor. I happily take the blame. Making the same game again never interests me.”
Also on Twitter today, Ward revealed other game concepts. He said before Criterion made Burnout Paradise, the developer toyed with the idea of a Burnout game set along Route 66.
“We got as far as renting cars to do it for real,” Ward said.
Lastly, Ward said he worked on a semi-open-world Medal of Honor game that would have allowed gamers to play as the Germans.
“I once spent a month or so writing up a Medal of Honor game where you played as the Germans. For the first half. Invading England,” he said. “I was a HUGE MoH fan back in the day. Would have loved a crack at it. Would have gone open world a bit too. And been very British at core.”
In April, Ward revealed that Criterion Games would be moving away from racing games, saying “after over a decade of making racing games, it’s time to make something new.
