If you're a fan of Electronic Arts, you might have heard the news that the company is making some significant changes. According to sources at IGN, EA is canceling its highly anticipated Black Panther game and shuttering the studio behind it—Cliffhanger Games. In an internal email to staff, EA Entertainment President Laura Miele explained that these moves are part of a broader strategy to sharpen the company's focus and channel its creativity toward areas with the greatest potential for growth.
This round of changes extends beyond just the closure of Cliffhanger Games and the cancellation of the Black Panther project. EA is also letting go of some employees from its mobile and central teams. While EA hasn’t disclosed the exact number of affected individuals, IGN estimates that the total is lower than the approximately 300 roles cut last month across Respawn and EA’s Fan Care teams. However, the precise margin remains unclear.
“These decisions are never easy,” Miele wrote in her email. “They impact people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared meaningful experiences with. We’re doing everything we can to support them, including helping them find new roles within EA.”
As with previous rounds of layoffs, EA is committed to helping displaced employees transition into other positions within the company. Despite ongoing cuts, the company seems to be maintaining a robust workforce overall, as evidenced by its recent increase in headcount on various teams. According to Game File’s analysis, EA employed 800 more people as of March this year compared to the same period in 2024.
Miele’s email outlines a strategic shift toward a smaller portfolio of core franchises, including Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. She also confirmed that EA will continue investing in Iron Man at Motive and the upcoming Star Wars: Jedi sequel. The company plans to keep its mobile gaming segment intact, with BioWare focusing on the next installment of Mass Effect. Additionally, last year, CEO Andrew Wilson announced that EA would move away from developing future licensed IPs unless they align with the company’s vision for sustained success in the evolving gaming landscape.
While EA Sports wasn’t mentioned in the email, it operates independently under a different division, and IGN understands that the sports division remains unaffected—for now.
It’s worth noting that the Black Panther project was part of a three-game deal with Marvel, which also included Iron Man and an undisclosed title. Although the game was announced in 2023, details have been scarce, and it was set to be a single-player, action-adventure, open-world experience developed by Cliffhanger Games—a studio established in 2023 by ex-developers of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and led by Kevin Stephens.
These layoffs follow several waves of restructuring and cancellations at EA over the past few years, particularly in 2025. Last month alone, the company let go of approximately 300 employees, including around 100 from Respawn, while scrapping an in-progress Titanfall game and another incubation project. Earlier this year, BioWare underwent a major overhaul, with some developers reassigned to other projects and others laid off. In 2024, a sweeping restructuring resulted in 670 layoffs company-wide, including around two dozen at Respawn. Meanwhile, in 2023, 50 jobs were cut at BioWare, and an unspecified number at Codemasters.
Adding to employee concerns, EA recently mandated a return-to-office policy for all workers, prompting worries among remote employees about their long-term job security. When asked for further details on the layoffs, the reasons behind them, or whether additional cuts are imminent, EA directed IGN back to Miele’s email. Marvel has yet to respond to IGN’s request for comment.
