Respawn Entertainment has announced the cancellation of two early-stage incubation projects and the layoff of an undisclosed number of employees across its teams related to Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi. The layoffs affect approximately 100 individuals, including developers and QA staff. In response to these difficult decisions, Respawn is providing support to those impacted, including potential internal opportunities within EA. Despite the changes, development will continue on Apex Legends and the next installment of the Star Wars: Jedi franchise, alongside an upcoming Star Wars game titled Star Wars: Zero Company. The restructuring of EA has been a persistent trend, following prior layoffs and project cancellations across various studios.
What are the recent changes at Respawn Entertainment regarding layoffs and project cancellations?Recent changes at Respawn Entertainment include the cancellation of two incubation projects and layoffs affecting about 100 employees. The studio continues to focus on ongoing support for Apex Legends and the Star Wars: Jedi franchise.
Apex Legends is a popular free-to-play battle royale game developed by Respawn Entertainment, initially released in February 2019. The game has received significant updates and expansions since its launch, garnering a large player base. In recent statements, EA indicated that the game's direction has not met expectations, leading to discussions of a major update termed "Apex 2.0," aimed at revitalizing the franchise.
Casey Loh
Casey Loh is a tech-savvy writer who specializes in the intersection of gaming and technology. With a background in computer science, Casey brings a technical lens to her reviews, breaking down the nuts and bolts of game engines, graphics, and AI innovation.
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Comments
Bummer to see more layoffs in the gaming industry, but glad Respawn is doubling down on what works—Apex and Jedi are solid bets. Fingers crossed the team can bounce back stronger and keep delivering those killer updates.
It’s tough seeing Respawn hit with layoffs, but at least they’re keeping their core projects alive—Apex and Jedi deserve that love. Here’s hoping the Apex 2.0 refresh brings some much-needed spark back to the game.