Electronic Arts, Close Cliffhanger Games and decided to stop development of an action project based on the Black Panther universe. EA Entertainment President Laura Miele explained this decision with the need to focus on the most promising projects, while promising to help laid-off employees find jobs within the company.
Although Cliffhanger is a studio founded in 2022 with the participation of former developers of Monolith Productions (known for the Middle-earth and Shadow of Mordor series), it has not yet released a single project. This is the second major closure at EA in a year – in February 2025, the company disbanded Ridgeline Games.
According to unconfirmed reports, EA also canceled the new Titanfall game and carried out large-scale layoffs. These decisions reflect a strategic review of the publisher's portfolio of projects in the changing video game market.
Reasons Behind the Closing of Cliffhanger Games
Electronic Arts' decision to close Cliffhanger Games can be considered as a result of the dynamic changes in the video game industry and the evolution of company strategies. In particular, canceling ambitious projects such as the Black Panther game may be aimed at directing resources to more strategic and high-potential projects.
As stated in Laura Miele's statements, EA's need to focus on the most promising projects is critical to surviving and succeeding in today's gaming market, where competition is intense and investment costs are high. In this context, the fact that Cliffhanger Games has not yet released a product and the uncertainties about the future of the project may have been effective in making this decision.
EA's Strategic Restructuring
The closure of Cliffhanger Games and the cancellation of the Black Panther game can be considered as part of EA's overall strategic restructuring process. Decisions such as the company's disbanding of Ridgeline Games and canceling the Titanfall game are also part of this restructuring process.
This restructuring aims to enable EA to better adapt to changing trends in the market and consumer expectations. Increasing investments, especially in areas such as live service games and mobile games, aims to support the company's future growth potential.
Support for Employees and Future Projects
EA states that it will support its employees who were laid off with the closure of Cliffhanger Games in finding jobs within the company. This is an important step that shows the value the company attaches to its employees and its understanding of social responsibility. It is expected that such support will help employees maintain their motivation and adapt more easily to their future careers.
Regarding EA's future projects, the company emphasizes that it will focus on the most promising and high potential projects. Although it is not yet known exactly what these projects are and what game genres they will cover, considering EA's wide game portfolio and experience, it can be said that it will continue to offer exciting and innovative games in the future.
