Electronic Arts has announced the cancellation of its upcoming title Marvel’s Black Panther and the closure of its developer studio, Cliffhanger Games.
“These are difficult decisions,” said Laura Miele, President of EA Entertainment, in an internal email obtained by IGN. “They affect people we’ve worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We are doing everything we can to support them—including exploring opportunities within EA, where we have successfully helped people find new roles.” According to Miele, the move is part of EA’s strategy to “sharpen focus” and “direct creative energy towards the most important growth opportunities.”
The third-person Black Panther game developed by Cliffhanger was reportedly planned as a single-player open-world experience. However, it now appears the project will never see the light of day. EA has declined to disclose how many employees will be impacted by the cancellation and studio closure, but IGN estimates the number is smaller than the recent layoffs of over 300 staff at Respawn Entertainment.
