At long last, Burnout 5 has been given an official title. Burnout Paradise, as it’s now called, is in development for the PS3 and Xbox 360 for a targeted release this winter. This latest Burnout will introduce Paradise City for the first time, an open-world environment where players can “do anything, anywhere, anytime!”.
“We have been working towards Burnout Paradise for quite some time. Next generation consoles have opened up a raft of new gameplay opportunities and the Criterion team has leapt at the chance to innovate and raise the bar to an all new high,” said Pete Hawley, Executive Producer, Burnout Paradise. “There are going to be some big surprises and a lot of new features but the core of the game is still pure Burnout. Instant accessibility will be reinforced by innovative online capabilities which will see Burnout Paradise smash racing conventions.’’
Info on the game beyond this is still scant, but along with the announcement EA and Criterion have released a trailer, a few screenshots and the official boxart, all of which can be found below.
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You know, I’m not sure if I’m happy about the open-world idea with this franchise. I liked the formula with NFS: Most Wanted (not so much with Carbon), but when you are talking about a series that focuses on crashing into stuff and the strategy of which car to pick for what course, I think that Criterion might be cutting this a little thin now.
I question how Burnout and the open world style will mesh as well, but I have faith in Criterion to deliver, so I’m optimistic.