EA developers have responded on social media following the cancellation of their Black Panther game and the shutdown of developer Cliffhanger Games.
Little was revealed about Black Panther after its 2023 announcement, though it was confirmed as a single-player, open-world action-adventure title. Developed by Cliffhanger Games—a studio formed in 2023 with veterans from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and led by Kevin Stephens—the project ceased alongside the studio’s closure.
In an email obtained by IGN, EA Entertainment president Laura Miele explained that these cuts—alongside other recent cancellations and layoffs—aim to "sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities."
"These decisions are hard," Miele wrote. "They affect people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We’re doing everything we can to support them—including finding opportunities within EA."
After the news broke, EA staff and contractors involved with Black Panther took to social media to express their disappointment and encourage studios to recruit affected developers.
"I was part of this incredible crew," said concept artist Karla Ortiz. "We were crafting something stunning. Detailed, rich, beautiful. It breaks my heart that players won’t get to experience it."
"I'm devastated to say goodbye to such an incredible team. Working with them was an honor—today is truly heartbreaking," she added, describing the project as "phenomenal."
Freddie Lee, Senior Environment Architect II, echoed the sentiment: "Today hit hard. Working alongside artists like Karla—who inspired our entire team—was a privilege. This group was truly unmatched."
He noted that the closure came as "a complete surprise."
Game designer Sophie Mallinson described Cliffhanger as "a dream team" and urged studios to hire its displaced talent. "It’s crushing that we may never see a Black Panther ARPG built by the minds behind the Nemesis System," she said.
Rayme Vinson, former Respawn developer and current principal technical designer at Gravity Well, commented on the game’s potential: "After EA canceled Star Wars FPS, we saw Black Panther firsthand and spoke with their devs—what they were making was ambitious and special. I was genuinely excited to play it."
Patrick Wren, senior encounter designer on Jedi Survivor, summed up morale bluntly: "It's been at an all-time low."
These cuts follow multiple waves of layoffs at EA in recent years. Last month saw roughly 300 employees let go—including about 100 at Respawn—alongside cancellations of an untitled Titanfall project and another incubation game. Earlier restructuring at BioWare displaced some staff while cutting others loose. In 2024, EA laid off 670 employees company-wide, including around two dozen Respawn developers, while BioWare trimmed 50 roles and Codemasters saw undisclosed cuts in 2023.
EA is now streamlining its focus towards core franchises: Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. Motive’s Iron Man and Respawn’s next Star Wars: Jedi installment remain in development, alongside BioWare’s Mass Effect. EA Sports (FC, Madden) operates independently under EA Entertainment.
