EA Layoffs Hit Respawn Entertainment Amidst Organizational Restructuring

Electronic Arts Announces Major Layoffs Impacting Respawn Entertainment and Key Franchises Electronic Arts (EA), one of the leading publishers in the video game industry, has instituted sweeping job cuts that will affect between 300 and 400 employees across its global organization.

According to a report from Bloomberg, approximately 100 of these layoffs impact staff at Respawn Entertainment—the critically acclaimed studio behind Apex Legends and the Star Wars Jedi series.

EA’s headquarters in Redwood City, California, confirmed that the restructuring is part of ongoing efforts to align teams and resources to better position the company for future growth. Established in 2010, Respawn Entertainment is renowned for its work on blockbuster franchises such as Apex Legends, a free-to-play battle royale hero shooter that launched on the Nintendo Switch in 2021, and the narrative-driven Star Wars Jedi titles.

The most recent round of layoffs includes personnel from multiple departments, including quality assurance, publishing, and development.

This information has been corroborated by IGN, which emphasized the breadth of roles affected. In a statement posted to social platforms, Respawn clarified, "We have chosen to discontinue two early-stage incubation projects and are making strategic adjustments across the Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi teams." The studio reassured players that Apex Legends remains a priority, stating there are ongoing initiatives to broaden the game’s scope and longevity.

One of the projects being wound down is believed to be the much-anticipated extraction shooter set in the Titanfall universe, though no official title had been previously announced. Leadership changes were also confirmed as part of the restructuring.

Daniel Suarez, formerly senior vice president at Respawn, will now serve as the General Manager, succeeding studio founder Vince Zampella.

Zampella has transitioned into the combined roles of group General Manager and Executive Vice President at Electronic Arts, overseeing multiple development teams within the publisher’s portfolio. The layoffs come on the heels of EA’s decision to lower its financial forecast, a move attributed to the underperformance of EA Sports FC 25.

Despite these challenges, Electronic Arts has reiterated its commitment to supporting Nintendo hardware.

Notably, EA Sports Madden NFL 26 is confirmed to be in development for the upcoming Switch 2 console, indicating ongoing collaboration with Nintendo and adaptation to the evolving gaming hardware landscape. Electronic Arts has a well-documented history as a major third-party developer for Nintendo platforms, with franchises like Apex Legends finding new audiences after launching on the Nintendo Switch eShop.

As the industry adapts to shifting consumer preferences and platform innovations, all eyes will be on how EA and Respawn Entertainment evolve in the months ahead following these significant organizational changes.

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