EA Cancels Star Wars FPS, Battlefield Single Player Project Shifted to Criterion

In a recent announcement to EA Entertainment employees, Laura Miele, President of EA Entertainment and Technology, emphasized the company’s commitment to aligning their portfolio and organization with their growth strategy. Recognizing the importance of listening to players and investing in games that resonate with them, EA is making some significant updates.

One of the key updates involves Respawn, a studio known for its exceptional game experiences and ability to connect with players. After careful evaluation of Respawn’s portfolio, it became evident that players are most excited about Jedi and Respawn’s existing brands. As a result, EA has decided to shift away from early development on a Star Wars FPS Action game and instead focus on new projects based on their owned brands. This decision is not a reflection of the team’s talent or passion but rather a strategic move to deliver what fans truly want.

Turning our attention to Battlefield Studios, EA has an ambitious vision for the Battlefield franchise. Under the leadership of Vince Zampella and Byron Beede, the project has been making significant progress. With the largest Battlefield team in history, comprised of passionate individuals across the globe, EA is well-positioned to create a Battlefield platform that will captivate fans. While Marcus Lehto has chosen to leave the project, Criterion has stepped in to oversee single-player work, ensuring a seamless continuation of the project. As part of this change, Ridgeline, a standalone studio in Seattle, will wind down operations, with some team members joining Ripple Effect to collaborate with teams across DICE, Ripple, and Criterion.

Recognizing the immense potential in the mobile gaming market, EA is focusing on mobile as the largest gaming platform. The company has brought together mobile and HD franchise teams under unified leadership for EA SPORTS FC, Madden NFL, and The Sims. The next step involves setting up a standalone mobile portfolio for growth. As part of this process, EA recently announced the sunset of certain games like Kim Kardashian Hollywood, Lord of the Rings, Tap Sports Baseball, and F1 Mobile. By streamlining their mobile offerings, EA aims to concentrate their efforts on titles within their portfolio that have the potential for growth.

Laura Miele acknowledges that these changes have a significant impact on the daily work of employees and may result in role eliminations and farewells to talented colleagues. She emphasizes the importance of recognizing the human aspect of these decisions and encourages everyone to support each other through these changes. Ultimately, the goal is to continue providing exceptional experiences for players while leveraging EA’s extensive library of owned IP.