Electronic Arts is the latest company to announce a major reorganisation, revealing plans to lay off around 700 employees in the coming weeks. Not only that but the instantly recognisable firm also announced the cancellation of highly anticipated games and the complete closure of a studio. This is devastating news for those involved and is the latest in a very long line of such circumstances to unravel in the games industry of late.
There are now severe concerns about the future of some EA-backed franchises, such as Battlefield. For years, the brand has been suffering under the weight of intense criticism from fans the world over, and over time, Battlefield is becoming less relevant. There were high hopes that the next Battlefield game would rejuvenate the series somewhat, but these latest changes have hit the future of the franchise extremely hard.
A Complete Restructuring
Electronic Arts is one of the most well-known names in the games industry. It was founded in 1982 in California and has since risen to develop and publish some of the most legendary and popular games the world has ever seen. As of 2022, the company employed 12,900 worldwide and was reporting ongoing success across the board. With many top-tier titles under its belt, Electronic Arts (and associated studios) was able to pump out enough content to keep gamers entertained the world over for years on end.
The first blow of this restructuring effort – which will reportedly cost the company more than $125 million – will see 700 employees wiped out. In the Battlefield space, EA is closing down Ridgeline Games, a Seattle-based studio that was working on the single-player portion of the next Battlefield game. That particular tidbit comes mere days after Marcus Lehto, the game director of the Battlefield series, left the company of his own accord.
In terms of cancellations, Electronic Arts is sunsetting a series of mobile games, such as F1 Mobile Racing and MLB Tap Sports. That was revealed last week, but more titles have joined that list now, including Kim Kardashian Hollywood and Lord of the Rings: Heroes of Middle-Earth. Further, EA has cancelled the in-development Star Wars FPS title, which was rumoured to be based on a Mandalorian bounty hunter and set in a vast open world.
Good With The Bad
In a statement, the EA Entertainment president, Laura Miele, said:
‘It’s always hard to walk away from a project, and this decision is not a reflection of the team’s talent, tenacity, or passion they have for the game. Giving fans the next installments of the iconic franchises they want is the definition of blockbuster storytelling and the right place to focus.’
On that note, EA confirmed that the likes of Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi, and the in-development Marvel titles – Iron Man and Black Panther – will remain undisturbed. There will also be no impact on the likes of Skate, Need for Speed, Dragon Age, and The Sims, among other key franchises. EA has a strong determination to focus more on its owned IP as opposed to licensed IP moving forward, strengthening its in-house portfolio as opposed to supporting games owned by third-party companies.
It has been a tough year for the industry, and we’re still only in February.
For more industry news, stay tuned to Esports.net
Deixar um comentário