EA Cuts 5% of Staff, Axes Respawn's Secret Mandalorian FPS

Electronic Arts (EA) is undergoing significant restructuring, resulting in the layoff of 5% of its staff, roughly equaling 670 employees. As the gaming giant streamlines its focus, it is also sunsetting four mobile games: 'Kim Kardashian: Hollywood,' 'Lord of the Rings: Legends,' 'Tap Sports Baseball,' and 'F1 Mobile.' This move is part of EA's strategy to pivot from less successful licensed IP towards franchises they own and believe have a stronger potential in the industry's evolving landscape. The layoffs were communicated to the employees with EA's intent to provide support and possible reassignment within the company.

Furthermore, Respawn Entertainment's unannounced Star Wars FPS game, which was touted to feature a Mandalorian bounty hunter, has been cancelled. This decision aligns with EA's goal to shift focus to its owned brands and support for their existing titles. Despite these changes, EA's Marvel projects, including games based on Iron Man and Black Panther, are unaffected by the restructuring. EA's commitment to the Battlefield series remains strong, with an 'ambitious and exciting' vision, led by the largest team in the franchise's history, although the newly formed Ridgeline Games studio is being wound down, with some staff moving to work on the Battlefield series at Ripple Effect Studios.

The recent layoffs at EA are part of a broader trend of job reductions across the gaming industry, with companies like PlayStation, Supermassive Games, and Microsoft announcing layoffs earlier this year. These cutbacks reflect the economic challenges and a shift in strategic direction within the gaming industry.

EA is narrowing its development focus by cutting jobs, closing down certain studios, cancelling projects including a Star Wars FPS game, and sunsetting several underperforming mobile games. They're moving resources towards owned IP, sports titles, and their most significant online communities.

To provide additional background information, Electronic Arts (EA) is a leading global interactive entertainment software company founded in 1982. EA develops, markets, publishes and distributes games, content and services that can be played by consumers on a variety of platforms, including consoles, PCs, mobile phones, and tablets. Some of their most popular franchises include FIFA, Battlefield, Apex Legends, and The Sims. The company's recent restructuring reflects a broader shift in the gaming industry towards a focus on core franchises and owned IPs as companies adapt to changing market demands and the evolving digital landscape.