While EA shuts down BioWare, developers of The Sims, Skate, and Battlefield say they’ve also lost their jobs
EA is reportedly laying off about 400 staff across several studios, alongside the closure of BioWare. Posts from affected developers indicate that Maxis, Full Circle and Ripple Effect are among those hit, making the cuts broader than BioWare’s roughly 50 staff.
The affected teams work on The Sims, Skate and Battlefield, and some of those losing jobs are long-serving or senior staff. EA has not specified which studios are included in the reported total, and there is no indication that Maxis, Full Circle or Ripple Effect, or their games, are being shut down or cancelled.
In short
- EA is reportedly cutting about 400 jobs across its studios.
- Developers at Maxis, Full Circle and Ripple Effect say they are affected.
- No closures or cancellations have been reported at those studios.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
EA could argue that reducing staff across several studios is necessary to align costs and team sizes with its current business priorities. Difficult cuts may help the company sustain its remaining projects and direct resources towards games it believes can be completed and supported successfully.
The case against
Employees and their advocates could argue that broad layoffs impose serious costs on people and communities, including experienced developers whose work and livelihoods are disrupted. The reported cuts across multiple studios also raise concerns about whether decisions are being made with sufficient transparency and regard for staff, particularly while EA has not specified which studios are included in the total.