Criterion was approached to make a launch F-Zero U (UPDATE: It was just an e-mail)

[Chris Hu]

LipeJJ said:
Would've been a great game. Criterion is an amazing developer!

Don't you mean was.  The Criterion that made all the Burnout games and Need for Speed: Most Wanted (2012) doesn't exist anymore.  Most of the key people have left the company as of 2014 they are down to 25 employees.