Electronic Arts has announced that it is canceling a Star Wars first-person shooter game that was in development at Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order. The decision comes as part of a major restructuring that will see EA lay off 5% of its workforce, or about 670 employees, across various studios and departments.
Respawn’s Star Wars FPS Was One of Three Projects
Respawn Entertainment, which was acquired by EA in 2017, had been working on three Star Wars projects, according to a report by IGN in January 2022. One of them was the critically acclaimed Star Wars Jedi: Fallen Order, which was released in November 2019 and sold over 10 million copies. The second one was a sequel to Fallen Order, which is still in development and expected to launch in 2022. The third one was a Star Wars first-person shooter game, which had not been officially announced or revealed to the public.
The Star Wars FPS game was supposed to be a new and original take on the franchise, with a focus on action and exploration. The game was reportedly set in a different era and location than the other Star Wars games, and featured new characters and storylines. The game was also said to have a multiplayer component, which would have leveraged Respawn’s expertise in the genre.
However, EA has decided to scrap the Star Wars FPS game, along with some other projects based on licensed IP, as part of its new strategy to focus on its own brands and franchises. EA’s entertainment and technology president Laura Miele explained the rationale behind the move in a memo to the staff, which was obtained by Game Informer.
“As we’ve looked at Respawn’s portfolio over the last few months, what’s clear is the games our players are most excited about are Jedi and Respawn’s rich library of owned brands,” Miele wrote. “Knowing this, we have decided to pivot away from early development on a Star Wars FPS action game to focus our efforts on new projects based on our owned brands while providing support for existing games.”
EA Lays Off 670 Employees, Closes Ridgeline Games
The cancellation of Respawn’s Star Wars FPS game is not the only casualty of EA’s restructuring. The publisher also announced that it is laying off 5% of its workforce, which amounts to about 670 employees, across various studios and departments. The layoffs will take effect in the next fiscal quarter, which starts in April 2024.
EA CEO Andrew Wilson broke the news to the staff in a letter, which was published by Kotaku. Wilson said that the layoffs were a result of the changing market conditions and consumer preferences, as well as the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic, which has disrupted the gaming industry and the global economy.
“We have made the difficult decision to reduce our workforce by 5% globally, impacting approximately 670 roles across our organization,” Wilson wrote. “This is not a reflection of the quality of our people or their work, but rather a necessary step to ensure we are structured to meet the needs of our players today and in the future.”
One of the studios that will be affected by the layoffs is Ridgeline Games, which was founded in 2022 by former Halo co-creator Marcus Lehto. Ridgeline Games was working on the single-player campaign for the next Battlefield game, which is slated for a 2022 release. However, Lehto left the studio in January 2024, and EA has now decided to close the studio and move the development of the Battlefield campaign to Criterion Games, the studio behind the Need for Speed and Burnout series.
EA Promises to Support Affected Employees and Players
EA has said that it will provide support and assistance to the affected employees, as well as the players of the games that will be affected by the restructuring. EA has not specified which games will be sunsetted or discontinued, but some of the candidates include Anthem, Star Wars: Squadrons, and Need for Speed: Heat, which have not received any major updates or content in recent months.
“We are committed to supporting our people through this transition with severance, health benefits, outplacement services, and other resources,” Wilson wrote. “We are also committed to supporting our players through this transition, and we will communicate directly with them on any changes that may impact their experience.”
Wilson also expressed his gratitude and appreciation to the employees and the players for their contributions and passion for EA’s games. He said that EA will continue to invest in its own brands and franchises, such as FIFA, Madden, The Sims, Apex Legends, Battlefield, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and more. He also said that EA will continue to partner with Disney on the Star Wars franchise, and that the next Star Wars Jedi game is still in development at Respawn.
“We have an incredible opportunity to deliver amazing games and experiences to our players in the years ahead, and we are confident that we have the right strategy, the right talent, and the right vision to make that happen,” Wilson wrote. “Thank you for your continued dedication and passion for EA and our games.”
