Electronic Arts: Employees take EA leadership to task
Following approximately 400 layoffs and the closure of BioWare, EA employees are leveling serious accusations against management. Some have no intention of returning.
In the wake of recent mass layoffs at Electronic Arts, current and former employees are making grave allegations against the company’s leadership. They cite mismanagement, a lack of appreciation, and a business strategy that, in their view, increasingly prioritizes financial interests over people.
This criticism follows a major corporate restructuring that resulted in the elimination of around 400 jobs. Particularly significant was the closure of the long-established role-playing game studio, BioWare.
One affected employee highlights just how deeply their trust in the publisher has been shaken.
An employee impacted by the layoffs stated: "It’s a joke. I didn’t even bother looking at the internal job openings because I have no desire to work for this company anymore."
Layoffs via Zoom with no opportunity for follow-up questions
The account of the termination process has drawn particularly sharp criticism.
Several affected individuals reported being invited to Zoom meetings where the chat function was disabled and other participants were hidden from view.
As a result, they were unable to ask questions or communicate with their colleagues during the session.
One person affected described the approach as extremely impersonal, criticizing the fact that employees were treated as little more than numbers on a list.
While EA reportedly granted some laid-off employees a transition period to find other internal roles, many of these positions require working from the office three days a week.
For those who previously worked remotely or who would need to relocate this is not a realistic alternative, according to the affected staff.
Accusations against management following the closure of BioWare
Criticism is directed, in particular, at how BioWare was handled.
As previously reported, Electronic Arts closed the long-standing studio as part of a strategic realignment and halted development on the next *Mass Effect* title.
Some former and current employees accuse management of having weakened the role-playing game studio over the years through poor strategic decisions.
According to these accounts, BioWare was repeatedly pressured to move away from its traditional strengths such as player agency, meaningful consequences, and companion characters in favor of incorporating more multiplayer and "live service" elements.
One employee noted that significant funds were spent on these initiatives without yielding any successful outcomes.
The studio’s willingness to take risks also suffered; one staff member explained that decisions became increasingly driven by user research, leaving little room for bold or unconventional ideas.
These allegations reflect the accounts provided by the employees who were interviewed.
Other studios are also reportedly heavily affected.
In addition to BioWare, studios including Maxis, Motive, Respawn, Ripple Effect, and Full Circle are said to be impacted by the restructuring.
The cuts at *Skate* developer Full Circle may have been particularly severe.
Several employees claim that approximately 30 to 40 percent of the studio’s more than 100 staff members have lost their jobs.
At the same time, EA had highlighted the long-term potential of the *Skate* franchise in its internal communications.
Another point of criticism concerns corporate decisions that employees believe led to unnecessary costs.
For instance, staff members point to a new office location in Kirkland, near Seattle, which was originally intended for studios including Ridgeline Games and Cliffhanger Games.
Ridgeline was shut down before the office even opened, and Cliffhanger followed just a few months later.
One employee criticized the new location, noting that it is more expensive, smaller, and less accessible via public transport than the previous office space.
Employees Accuse Management of Profiteering
This dissatisfaction comes at a particularly sensitive time for Electronic Arts.
Just a few months ago, the publisher was acquired by an investor consortium led by Saudi interests in a deal valued at $55 billion.
Some of the employees interviewed fear that the new ownership structure could further intensify pressure to cut costs and increase profits.
They accuse management of increasingly tailoring business decisions to the interests of investors, while the consequences are borne by the development teams.
One employee sums up their disappointment in particularly stark terms.
An Electronic Arts employee explains: "The recent email about organizational changes sounded like it was written by a robot. That describes EA perfectly. A cold, dead place that is slowly decaying, while management squeezes out every last cent—leaving the rest of us to wonder how we’re supposed to feed our families."
These statements paint a picture of a profound crisis of trust between segments of the workforce and the company’s leadership.
Former developers have also recently voiced public criticism of Electronic Arts. For instance, a former BioWare employee sharply criticized the publisher’s business strategy regarding the future of the *Mass Effect* franchise.
The allegations made by the employees who were interviewed anonymously have not been independently verified. Electronic Arts did not provide a statement at the time the original report was published; the company has been asked for comment.