Electronic Arts (EA) is bringing its Respawn and DICE studios together on a future shooter, and has paused development on The Sims' 'Project Lotus'.
Both changes appear in a memo EA published on October 21st, which it said had been shared with employees. Signed by "Cam & David", it set out three priorities: deepen its core franchises, reach more players on new platforms and in new markets, and change how the business works. "This is where we've had to make our hardest choices," the memo said of its core games.
Respawn and DICE join forces
EA said Battlefield 6 was "a great success" and that it would use what it learned from the launch to build out its shooter line-up. "In addition to our future Battlefield titles, we'll be bringing together our Respawn and DICE studios to collaborate on a future project that will help us achieve that ambition," it wrote. EA did not name the game. Variety has reported that it is Star Wars: Battlefront 3.
Apex Legends will keep getting "heavy" investment over the next few years, with new multiplayer modes promised. In action-adventure, EA said it was still on course with Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game, but would run "fewer simultaneous, large-scale projects" after that. The same memo confirmed the closure of BioWare and its Edmonton office, ending early work on the next Mass Effect.
Fight Night, Project Gridiron and The Sims
EA Sports has two new projects in the works. One is "Project Gridiron", described as a social-first, open-world American football game. The other is Fight Night, which EA said is in pre-production. For The Sims, EA is putting its effort into "Project Evergreen" and has paused "Project Lotus" to make that possible. Skate, its free-to-play skateboarding game, will be run by a smaller team working to a set roadmap.
The memo did not give a job figure. It said EA would help affected staff look for other roles inside the company and would discuss its plans at a Global Town Hall in November.
