Respawn lays off developers and cancels two unannounced projects: optimisation also affects Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi teams
Electronic Arts-owned Respawn Entertainment has made a difficult decision to cancel two early incubation projects and reduce its development staff. These measures led to the dismissal of approximately 100 employees.
Here's What We Know
In its official statement, the studio called it a "difficult" decision to abandon two early-stage projects and make "targeted team adjustments" Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi. Electronic Arts did not provide the press with the exact number of employees laid off, but according to IGN, the cuts affected about a hundred people in the development, quality control, and publishing teams.
"These decisions are not easy, and we are deeply grateful to every affected team member - their creativity and contributions have helped Respawn become what it is today," the studio said in a statement.
The company also confirmed that it is providing "significant support to those affected, including exploring new opportunities within EA".
At the end of the message, Respawn thanked everyone "who has been a part of their journey - past, present, and future", adding: "we carry your legacy with us into everything we create next".
Last October, when EA informed investors that Apex Legends "did not meet expectations" during the second quarter of fiscal year 2025, CEO Andrew Wilson rejected the idea of developing an "Apex 2.0" to solve the game's problems. This was preceded by previous layoffs in February 2024, when the company laid off about 5% of its employees, and 6% of its staff a year earlier. These developments are indicative of the ongoing trend towards cost optimisation at large gaming companies.
Source: IGN
