EA Cuts Jobs at Battlefield 6 Development Studio Following Record-Breaking Launch

On March 9, Electronic Arts (EA) implemented layoffs across its Battlefield studios, a surprising move coming just months after the successful launch of Battlefield 6, which achieved the title of the best-selling game in the United States for 2025.

Battlefield 6 had set numerous milestones shortly after its release. Within the first three days, the game sold 7 million copies. Moreover, it contributed to a remarkable 38% year-over-year increase in EA’s net bookings, reaching $3.046 billion in Q3 of 2026. This period also saw Battlefield 6 achieve the highest single-month dollar sales record for a full game in the United States over the past three years. Notably, this launch was heralded as the largest in the franchise’s history and was seen as a strong recovery from the issues that plagued Battlefield 2042. Despite this success, however, layoffs occurred.

Staff Restructuring Amid Corporation Shift

Employees from various studios including Criterion, Dice, Ripple Effect, and Motive were impacted by the layoffs, as reported by IGN. Fortunately, all four studios will continue operating. An EA spokesperson emphasized, “Battlefield remains one of our biggest priorities, and we’re continuing to invest in the franchise, guided by player feedback and insights from Battlefield Labs.”

These layoffs coincide with a challenging period for Battlefield 6’s live service. Player engagement has seen a decline, with Steam concurrent users dropping from a peak of 747, 440 to merely thousands, and player reviews slipping from “Mostly Positive” to “Mixed.” Users have voiced concerns regarding intensive monetization strategies, the integration of generative AI for cosmetics, and a content update frequency that fell short of expectations.

In response to player feedback, the development team delayed the start of Season 2 and released a roadmap outlining updates for the next three months. Additionally, the Battlefield battle royale spinoff, Redsec, has not fared well either, currently reflected in its “Mostly Negative” reviews on Steam.

EA reassures fans that these workforce reductions are independent of its ongoing $55 billion acquisition deal involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, which is anticipated to finalize in the first quarter of EA’s 2027 fiscal year.

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