Despite cancelling Black Panther, EA says its multi-title partnership with Marvel remains strong and is still moving forward.

Major publisher Electronic Arts has cancelled its planned Black Panther game and shut down the studio behind it, Cliffhanger Games. 

According to a report by IGN, the decision was announced in an internal email from EA Entertainment president Laura Miele, who said the move was part of a broader strategy to “sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities.”

“These decisions are hard,” Miele acknowledged in the email to staff, reflecting on the personal impact of the changes. She noted that those affected were colleagues EA had “worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with,” and added that the company is doing what it can to support them, including helping individuals transition into other roles internally, something she said EA has seen success with in the past.

Announced in 2023, Black Panther was being developed as a single-player, open-world action-adventure game by Cliffhanger Games, a Seattle-based studio formed that same year and headed by Kevin Stephens, known for his previous work on Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor. Few official details about the project had been released before its cancellation.

Black Panther was part of a three-game agreement between EA and Marvel, which also includes Iron Man and an as-yet-unannounced title. Despite the cancellation, the partnership remains intact. In a statement, Miele confirmed: “Our partnership with Marvel remains strong and our multi-title, long-term collaboration continues.” Motive Studios will now lead future Marvel-related projects at EA.

EA continues wave of layoffs across 2024 and 2025

This development is the latest in a string of layoffs at EA. In recent months, the company has scrapped multiple projects and reduced headcount across several teams. In 2025 alone, roughly 300 staff were let go, including approximately 100 at Respawn, while a Titanfall-related project and another internal title were cancelled. 

Earlier this year, BioWare underwent restructuring, with some staff reassigned and others let go. The broader shake-up across EA in 2024 resulted in 670 job cuts company-wide, affecting teams including BioWare and Respawn.

However, according to IGN’s report, EA also has an ongoing program to relocate affected employees to other roles within the company. Despite ongoing cuts, this approach has remained viable—likely because EA has continued to grow teams in other areas at the same time, with Game File reporting a rise in hiring in Q1 2025 compared to Q1 2024.

What's next for EA?

Looking ahead, EA plans to narrow its focus to a smaller number of key franchises, which include Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. 

Miele added that development will continue on Motive Studios’ Iron Man game and the third instalment in the Star Wars Jedi series, while BioWare remains at work on the next Mass Effect. EA also intends to maintain its mobile operations despite the recent cuts.