Respawn Entertainment Restructures: Apex Legends and Star Wars Focus Amidst Project Cancellations and Layoffs
In a significant shift, Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind the popular Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi series, has announced the cancellation of two unannounced projects and subsequent layoffs. This move signals a strategic realignment, prioritizing the continued development and expansion of its flagship titles.
The decision, revealed in a statement posted on social media, was described as a difficult one. "As we sharpen our focus for the future, we’ve made the decision to step away from two early-stage incubation projects and make some targeted team adjustments across Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi," the statement read. The studio expressed gratitude to the affected employees but didn’t initially disclose the extent of the layoffs.
Reports later surfaced indicating that approximately 100 employees across various departments, including developers, publishing, and QA, have been impacted. This includes teams working on Apex Legends, the Jedi team, and the now-cancelled incubation projects.
One of the scrapped projects was reportedly a multiplayer FPS, adding to the disappointment of fans hoping for new IPs from the studio. The other project remains shrouded in mystery. The cancellation of these projects effectively dashes any persistent hopes for a new Titanfall game, especially after Giant Bomb’s Jeff Grubb confirmed that a project from Titanfall 2 game director Steve Fukuda was among those shelved.
This reorganization arrives after EA's disappointing financial results last quarter, partially attributed to Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underwhelming performance. While the future of Dragon Age doesn't seem related, both Apex Legends and EA Sports FC's underperformance added to the decision to restructure.
Respawn's focus will now intensify on refining and expanding Apex Legends, with plans to "push the boundaries of competitive play" and introduce fresh ideas in upcoming seasons. CEO Andrew Wilson has teased an "Apex 2.0" update, hinting at a significant evolution of the battle royale experience.
The studio also reaffirmed its commitment to the Star Wars universe, promising to "raise the bar again for storytelling and gameplay" with the next installment in the Star Wars Jedi series. There is also cooperation with Bit Reactor on the XCOM-style Star Wars game, and some developers from Respawn were moved to EA Motive to help with their development of the Iron Man Game.
The news comes amidst broader industry uncertainty, with reports of potential global recession looming and EA itself having previously laid off 670 employees in 2024. This restructuring at Respawn Entertainment highlights the volatile nature of the gaming industry and the increasing pressure on studios to deliver consistent hits.
What are your thoughts on Respawn's decision to prioritize Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi while cancelling unannounced projects? Do you believe this focus will ultimately benefit the quality of these titles, or does it signal a lack of innovation within the studio? Share your opinions in the comments below.
