EA Sharpens Sword: Black Panther Project Shelved as Publisher Doubles Down on Blockbuster Franchises
In a decisive strategic move, Electronic Arts (EA) is re-calibrating its development focus, leading to the cancellation of its anticipated single-player Black Panther game. This realignment also includes the closure of Cliffhanger Games, the studio behind the project, resulting in an unspecified number of layoffs.
Laura Miele, EA Entertainment President, communicated the news to staff, emphasizing that these difficult decisions—which also include the recent halt of an unannounced Titanfall game at Respawn—are designed to “sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities.”
While EA declined to specify the exact number of employees impacted by this latest round (reportedly also affecting mobile and central divisions), sources suggest the figure is less than the 300 job cuts recently seen across Respawn and other teams. “These decisions are hard,” Miele acknowledged. “They affect people we’ve worked with… We’re doing everything we can to support them – including finding opportunities within EA.”
The Black Panther title, first announced in 2023 as a collaboration with Marvel Games, was envisioned as a third-person adventure set in an “expansive and reactive” Wakanda. Though still “early in development” with little shown publicly, a 2024 job listing hinted at an ambitious open-world design.
This cancellation appears to be a direct outworking of EA CEO Andrew Wilson’s comments last year about the publisher strategically moving away from certain “future licensed IP.” However, fans of Marvel can still look forward to EA’s continued investment in Motive’s Iron Man project, and Star Wars enthusiasts will be pleased to hear Respawn’s third Star Wars: Jedi game remains on track.
More broadly, Miele indicated a concentrated push towards EA’s own powerhouse franchises. Get ready for more from Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends, alongside BioWare’s highly anticipated next installment in the Mass Effect universe.
This strategic pivot was also evident when EA recently concluded its licensing partnership with the World Rally Championship and “paused development” on future rally games, leading to additional layoffs at Codemasters.
Meanwhile, a separate Black Panther game, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra from Skydance Games and Uncharted writer Amy Hennig, has seen its release date shifted to next year.
EA’s latest moves signal a clear commitment to concentrating its resources on a select portfolio of major franchises, aiming to deliver high-impact experiences where it sees the most significant potential for growth and innovation.
