For the first time, a Most Wanted sequel!!! Literally, this one's going to be the most wanted.
And I'm glad criterion is on it, cause I simply "loved" the NFS:HP. Well, maybe cause I played multiplayer with friends most of the time, and single player wasn't boring to me either.
I have always loved the way NFS keeps it's genres seperated.
All Hot pursuits were similar HP1, HP2, HP with loads of catch-up, fast cars, exotic-scenery and weather, time-runs, spike strips and copters.
The underground 1 & 2 were slightly different to each other in physics but very similar in concept: Night-street racing, and customization.
Porche Unleashed >> Carbon > Run >> Undercover, were one-off games having something unique.
Shift 1, 2, and Pro-street being the saddest attempts of EA to pull off NFS simulation.
And the Most wanted was a beautiful mix of underground's open world and customization, spiced up with Hot pursuit's sceneries and chases. The one that majority of players around the world liked and some still play. (Check gameranger to realize how many players are still playing it since 7 years)
So it will be a huge pressure on Criterion and EA's shoulders to pull off this one correctly. It's just like innovating something superb like BMW M3 and then making current the current M3 even better.