EA cancels Star Wars FPS game amid company layoffs

It wasn't long ago that EA had robust video game plans for the Star Wars universe. From the Star Wars Jedi franchise to a Star Wars FPS action game, things were looking bright for the publisher.

Fast forward to yesterday and with the industry undergoing mass layoffs, EA was the latest to announce cuts. EA confirmed that roughly 670 individuals, or 5% of the company workforce will be let go as part of the company's shift in strategy.

EA is focusing more on its own owned brands and supporting its existing games rather than developing games based on licensed IPs. Unfortunately, this means Respawn's Star Wars FPS is being canceled.

Not much was known about the Star Wars game other than it was being developed by Respawn with Peter Hirschmann serving as game director.

In a memo written to employees, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said that the video game company “streamlining our company operations to deliver deeper, more connected experiences for fans everywhere.”

Wilson added that the cuts will allow EA to focus more on its "biggest opportunities — including our owned IP, sports, and massive online communities.”

More connected experiences and massive online communities sound like a larger focus on live service games, although that's just my interpretation. We already know EA's sports titles have a huge online community thanks to Ultimate Team. This year, EA will also launch the return of its long-awaited college football video game series which will almost certainly emphasize an Ultimate Team online mode.

Given the success of EA's Star Wars: Jedi franchise, it's likely the company will continue the series with a third installment. However, the fate of EA's untitled Star Wars strategy game is still unclear.

Also announced in 2022, the strategy game was being developed through a production collaboration with the newly formed studio Bit Reactor, helmed by games industry veteran Greg Foerstch.

It's unfortunate news for those affected by the layoffs, but all too common in the video game industry these days.