EA Slashes ‘Battlefield’ Studio Jobs Even After ‘Battlefield 6’ Became 2025’s Top-Selling Game

Electronic Arts has started laying off employees across several studios that work on the Battlefield franchise. According to a report from IGN, staff members at multiple teams have been affected, including those at Criterion, DICE, Ripple Effect, and Motive Studio. The exact number of people who lost their jobs has not been confirmed.

Sources told IGN that employees were informed the cuts are part of a company “realignment.” The goal, according to the company, is to reorganize how the Battlefield teams operate while continuing to support Battlefield 6 as a live service game. Even after the layoffs, all four studios are expected to remain active and continue working on the franchise.

EA responded to IGN with a statement about the changes. A spokesperson for the company said, “We’ve made select changes within our Battlefield organization to better align our teams around what matters most to our community. 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.”

The layoffs come during a strange moment for the series. Battlefield 6 was the best-selling video game in the United States in 2025. The game also had the biggest launch in the history of the franchise, selling around 7 million copies within the first three days. Critics had mixed feelings about the campaign mode, but the multiplayer was received more positively and earned an 8 out of 10 score from IGN at launch.

Still, the months after release have not been smooth. Players have raised concerns about several updates and changes made to the game. Some fans criticized cosmetic items, character movement, and the level of monetization. There has also been backlash over the use of generative AI for certain cosmetic content. Because of this feedback, the developers delayed the start of Season 2 to make improvements. EA later released a roadmap covering the next three months of planned updates.

Player numbers on Steam have also fallen since the game’s launch. Battlefield 6 reached a peak of 747,440 concurrent players when it first released on the platform. More recently, those numbers have dropped significantly. The game now sees peaks in the tens of thousands, with about 67,000 concurrent players reported recently on Steam. The full player count is larger because the game is also available on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X and Series S, but Steam data still gives an idea of the trend.

At the same time, another Battlefield project is facing issues. The free-to-play battle royale game Redsec currently holds a “Mostly Negative” rating from users on Steam.

The layoffs also come during a difficult period for the franchise. Battlefield leader Vince Zampella died earlier this year in a car accident. In addition, EA is currently preparing for a major acquisition deal worth around $55 billion. The investor group involved includes Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. The deal is expected to close later in the financial year, but IGN reports that EA says the layoffs are not connected to that agreement.

This situation shows how complicated the gaming industry has become. A game can sell millions of copies and still face criticism and internal changes. Live service games also need constant updates, which puts pressure on development teams. What do you think about EA laying off staff while Battlefield 6 remains a huge title? Share your thoughts in the comments.