EA Cancels Black Panther Game, Shuts Down Cliffhanger

Electronic Arts has decided to cancel its upcoming Black Panther game and shut down the development studio behind it, Cliffhanger Games, according to a report from IGN.

In an internal email addressed to employees, Laura Miele, President of EA Entertainment, stated that these decisions are part of a broader strategy to "sharpen our focus and channel our creative energy into the most promising growth opportunities."

This move includes not only the cancellation of Black Panther and the closure of Cliffhanger Games but also additional layoffs within EA’s mobile and central teams. While EA did not disclose the exact number of affected employees, sources indicate that this round affects fewer individuals than the approximately 300 roles eliminated last month across Respawn and EA's Fan Care teams—though the precise difference remains unclear.

Miele acknowledged the difficulty of these choices in her message: “These decisions are hard. They affect people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with.” She emphasized that EA is committed to supporting impacted employees, including offering help in finding new roles within the company—a practice EA has implemented during previous rounds of layoffs.

Despite ongoing restructuring efforts, EA has significantly increased its workforce over the past year. According to reports, the company employed 800 more people in March of this year compared to the same time in 2024.

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EA continues to prioritize a select group of major franchises moving forward, including Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. The company also confirmed continued investment in its Iron Man project at Motive Studios, the next installment in the Star Wars: Jedi series, and mobile development. Meanwhile, Bioware remains focused on the next Mass Effect title.

It’s worth noting that EA Sports was not impacted by today’s changes, as it operates under a separate division outside of Miele’s oversight.

The Black Panther project was one of three games included in a licensing deal between EA and Marvel. The agreement also covered the Iron Man game and an unannounced third title. Since its reveal in 2023, little has been revealed about Black Panther, though job listings indicated it was intended to be a single-player, action-adventure, open-world experience. Cliffhanger Games, formed in 2023 by former developers of Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and led by Kevin Stephens, was responsible for the title.

This decision follows a string of cancellations and layoffs at EA over the past several years—and particularly in 2025. Last month alone, EA cut around 300 roles, including nearly 100 at Respawn, while also canceling an in-development Titanfall title and another incubation project. Earlier in the year, BioWare underwent restructuring, shifting some talent to other projects while laying off others. In 2024, a company-wide reduction resulted in 670 job losses, including around two dozen at Respawn. And in 2023, BioWare saw 50 job cuts and an unknown number were affected at Codemasters.

Adding to the uncertainty, EA recently introduced a mandatory return-to-office policy, which some remote employees told IGN has raised concerns about the long-term stability of their positions.

When contacted for further details—including how many employees were impacted, the reasoning behind these repeated reductions, or whether more cuts are expected soon—EA directed IGN back to Miele’s email. Marvel has not yet responded to requests for comment.