February 29th 2024.
It's been a rough week for the gaming industry, as two major companies have announced layoffs. First, PlayStation laid off 900 staff members, and now EA has joined the list by cutting 670 jobs. This amounts to 5% of their workforce, on top of the 6% they laid off last March. It's a sad and familiar story, but EA has at least given some explanation for their actions. They are undergoing a change of direction, shifting away from licensed games and focusing on their core franchises.
This shift also means a greater focus on live service games, as seen by the cancellation of their Star Wars first-person shooter project and the closure of the single-player Battlefield studio. Although not much is known about the cancelled Star Wars game, it was rumored to be based on the popular show, The Mandalorian. Respawn, the studio behind the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, also had several other Star Wars games in development, but it's uncertain what will happen to them now.
Thankfully, the third installment of the Star Wars Jedi series is still in the works, despite the change in direction and the exit of series creator Stig Asmussen. This is good news for fans of the franchise, as EA has been known to flip-flop on their stance on single-player games. However, EA CEO Andrew Wilson has stated that they are definitely moving away from developing future licensed IP.
According to IGN, EA's focus will now be on their popular titles such as EA Sports, Apex Legends, Star Wars Jedi, Iron Man, Black Panther, Battlefield, Need For Speed, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Skate, and The Sims. This may be confusing for some, as EA has not provided any explanation as to why some titles, such as Star Wars Jedi 3, make sense for them to continue while others, like the unnamed first-person shooter based on The Mandalorian, have been cancelled.
In his statement, Wilson mentions an "accelerating industry transformation" where player needs and motivations have changed significantly. He also emphasizes a focus on "massive online communities" and their current line-up of titles, many of which are live service games. This seems to be the direction that EA is heading towards, as they aim to deliver deeper and more connected experiences for their fans.
Despite the layoffs, EA is in no financial trouble, as their recent financial results have seen a rise in revenue. However, it's unclear why they have decided to move away from licensing popular franchises like Star Wars and Marvel, especially when these IPs have such a large fan base.
In the midst of these changes, there are still exciting developments happening, such as the announcement of a Marvel's Blade game by Deathloop developers, Arkane, and a possible remaster of Endless Ocean and Star Wars Battlefront. However, the future of single-player games at EA remains uncertain, as their focus seems to be shifting towards live service and online communities. Only time will tell what the future holds for EA and the gaming industry as a whole.
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