Electronic Arts Lays Off 670 Employees, Cancels Projects, And Shuts Down Ridgeline Games

The video game industry layoffs continue to pile on as undisclosed number of Codemasters developers laid off in December.

CEO Andrew Wilson cites the need to streamline company operations as the reason for the layoffs which he its will also result in the cancellation of several in-development games, including a Star Wars first-person shooter by Respawn Entertainment. It’s also shut down Ridgeline Games, a studio working on a single-player standalone Battlefield game.

“Given how and where we are working, we are continuing to optimize our global real estate footprint to best our business,” reads part of the announcement email. “We are also sunsetting games and moving away from development of future licensed IP that we do not believe will be successful in our changing industry. This greater focus allows us to drive creativity, accelerate innovation, and double down on our biggest opportunities — including our owned IP, sports, and massive online communities — to deliver the entertainment players want today and tomorrow.”

“Lastly, we are streamlining our company operations to deliver deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere that build community, shape culture, and grow fandom. In this time of change, we expect these decisions to impact approximately 5 percent of our workforce,” he wrote. “I understand this will create uncertainty and be challenging for many who have worked with such dedication and ion and have made important contributions to our company.”