EA Lays Off an Untold Number of Battlefield Devs Months After Battlefield 6 Broke Records

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There are a number of complaints players had toward Battlefield 6, as it was not a perfect FPS by any means. Slower progression systems and somewhat predatory monetization combined with some lackluster features that didn’t match up to former Battlefield titles to leave Battlefield 6 with “Mixed” reviews on Steam. That being said, the diligent work from development groups helped the game retain a strong audience, mainly through updates that gave fans much of what they desired.

Live Service Support Changes Have Reshuffled Developer Teams Through Mass Layoffs

According to EA, internal shifts across all the studios associated with Battlefield 6 are responsible for the layoffs, the numbers of which haven’t been shared as of this time of writing. Direct statements claim that “We’ve made select changes within our Battlefield organization to better align our teams around what matters most to our community.” EA continues to ensure players that Battlefield is one of their top priorities, with heavy investments tied into the franchise’s future based in community feedback.

Even with those attempts to reassure fans, it seems that a great number of team members at multiple studios involved with Battlefield 6 have been let go. This comes after a big delay in the game’s Season 2 content, which were paused to account for widespread player criticisms over prior live service support. Frustration surrounding gen AI usage for in-game cosmetic rewards and egregious monetization practices had soured many players already, making these layoffs seem even stranger if EA’s claims toward redoubled efforts toward Battlefield 6 are to be believed.

The drop of player counts from Battlefield 6‘s launch until now might be the true cause for these layoffs. Although the game managed to accumulate over 700,000 players at its peak on Steam, those numbers dropped close to 60,000 only three months after the launch. Once again, EA’s monetization practices were partly to blame, as many praised Battlefield 6‘s core gameplay, but were against the dull progression system that tried to enforce additional payments.

This “reshuffling” process affecting EA internally is likely linked to the player falloff, which can negatively impact live service games the most. Shutdowns like Highguard have already seen the consequences of failure for this genre, but EA proves that even big games can lead to lost jobs if they aren’t constantly in mainstream appeal. The layoffs from EA’s Battlefield divisions will, at the very least, make it harder for Battlefield 6 to improve, despite the success that gained a respectably sized audience.

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