“A cold dead place that’s slowly decaying” – EA employees reveal a culture of secrecy and terrible morale following layoffs
EA has announced 400 job cuts across several studios, cancelled projects and shifted focus towards its biggest earners, while closing BioWare and laying off most of its remaining staff. Current and former employees describe low morale and confusion over who is affected, how work will continue and who will take over unfinished projects.
The report says affected staff are told in Zoom calls with chat disabled and other participants hidden, and colleagues may learn of departures only through LinkedIn. Employees say it can take weeks to clarify plans for remaining teams; they also point to pressure to maintain workloads with fewer people and management’s interest in generative AI. The article links cost pressures to EA’s $55bn acquisition by an investor consortium and the resulting $20bn debt, and notes that 2026 may become the games industry’s worst year on record for layoffs.
In short
- EA is cutting 400 jobs and has closed BioWare.
- Staff report secrecy, uncertainty and poor morale.
- EA faces $20bn in debt after its $55bn acquisition.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
EA can argue that cutting costs and concentrating investment on its strongest franchises are necessary to manage debt, respond to commercial pressures and keep the business viable. Making difficult changes may protect more jobs over time, while confidential notifications and delayed project decisions can reflect the need to handle sensitive personnel matters and assess plans before announcing them.
The case against
Employees can argue that the way these cuts are handled compounds the harm of losing jobs: opaque calls, hidden participants and weeks of uncertainty leave people unable to plan or support colleagues. Expecting smaller teams to sustain workloads while projects and responsibilities remain unclear risks further damaging morale and the quality of work, particularly when staff see management pursuing AI amid broad redundancies.
Explained simply
Electronic Arts (EA) is a major video game company whose studios make series such as FIFA/EA Sports FC, Battlefield and Mass Effect. Its teams develop games over several years, so changes to staffing or cancelled projects can affect both current work and what players may see in future.
EA’s business depends on a mix of large, established games and new releases. A proposed $55bn purchase by investors would leave the company with about $20bn in debt, according to the report; taking on debt can increase pressure to control costs and prioritise revenue. Layoffs have also affected other games companies, making job security a wider concern across the industry.