1 source 1h ago
EA Staff Testimony Points to Confusion and Low Morale After Layoffs
Electronic Arts announced its future business direction on October 22, including the closure of subsidiary studio BioWare and the cancellation of the latest Mass Effect title.
Reporting from 1 source: Automaton.
Why it matters
The layoffs were meant to make the organization leaner after the buyout, but the testimony describes a workforce that cannot tell who is still employed, which puts the efficiency argument in doubt.
Key Facts
- Electronic Arts announced its future business direction on October 22, including the closure of subsidiary studio BioWare.
- The latest title in the Mass Effect series has reportedly been cancelled.
- Anna Huerta, senior creative director on The Sims at Maxis, and John Epler, seasonal creative director on skate. at Full Circle, were among staff laid off.
- EA's buyout by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners was completed in August, with EA taking on a large debt load as financing.
- Staff testimony reported by Vertical Slice says morale inside EA is poor and dissatisfaction is arising over internally promoted generative AI.
Staff at multiple studios then came forward to say they had been laid off, including Anna Huerta at Maxis and John Epler at Full Circle. Testimony reported by Vertical Slice describes employees learning of colleagues' layoffs only through LinkedIn posts.
Testimony from inside Electronic Arts describes workforce reductions announced in an internal email that even some manager-level staff could not follow. One employee said colleagues only said their goodbyes after seeing a LinkedIn post announcing their own layoffs, and that this has become routine at the company.
Other testimony raises suspicion that the handling is meant to isolate those let go, and dissatisfaction is also forming over the use of generative AI promoted internally. The reductions followed EA's completion in August of an acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, a deal that left the company carrying a large debt load.
Written with AI by Yomimono from the 1 cited source below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited. See our editorial policy.
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