Burnout Paradise Remastered confirmed for PS4 and Xbox One release

EA has confirmed that Criterion Games classic Burnout Paradise is being remastered for PS4 and Xbox One, with a release date set for 16 March. The open world racer was originally released in 2008, and was the last game in the series for consoles.

The updated version of the PS3 and Xbox 360 title will have new high-resolution textures and run at a native 1080p resolution on base PS4 and Xbox One consoles, with the option for 4K and 60fps on PS4 Pro and Xbox One X.

It will also include eight of Paradise's DLC packs, which added nearly 100 cars, 10 new tracks and much more. These include the Cops and Robbers, Legendary Cars and Burnout Bikes packs.

Burnout Paradise Remastered will also include the original licensed soundtrack in full, so expect to get the authentic feel of the original game when Avril Lavigne's Girlfriend plays every 10 minutes.

The remaster is being handled by Stellar Entertainment: a new studio based in Guildford, meaning the team is just a short walk away from from EA and Criterion.

Launching at £34.99, the remaster will also be heading to PC via EA Origin "later this year" with the Big Surf Island expansion included for the first time.

Burnout Paradise was celebrated upon its release for shaking up the series' formula with its open world setting, leaving set tracks and structured races or a free-form, sandbox approach that has since become commonplace in the racing genre.

Following Burnout Paradise's release ten years ago, EA moved Criterion to its Need for Speed franchise. The team developed Need for Speed: Hot Pursuit, Most Wanted and aided development of Rivals between 2010 and 2013.

The studio then lent its hand to Visceral during the development of Battlefield Hardline, and developed Star Wars Battlefront's virtual reality X-Wing VR Mission in 2016. The team also contributed to Battlefield 1 and Star Wars Battlefront 2.

The team has not led its own standalone game since Most Wanted, with Burnout put on hiatus following 2010's small-scale arcade-style title Burnout Crash.

Hopefully the new remaster is testing the waters for a Burnout revival. Given EA's precious Need for Speed series has been on the wane for some years now, perhaps now is the right time to bring a fan-favourite back to life.