Following EA’s determination to pull the plug on its Black Panther recreation and shut the studio making it, the writer has insisted the transfer does not mirror a change to its partnership with Marvel, and confirmed it nonetheless has “no less than three” further Marvel video games in improvement.
Little had been revealed of EA’s Black Panther recreation since its announcement in 2023, and phrase of its cancellation – alongside but extra layoffs on the firm – arrived earlier this week. Commenting on the choice to finish improvement in an electronic mail to staff, EA Leisure president Laura Miele mentioned the transfer would assist the writer “sharpen our focus and put our artistic vitality behind essentially the most important development alternatives”.
Miele additionally pressured developer EA Motive’s Iron Man recreation was unaffected, however Black Panther’s cancellation – which comes because the writer continues a deliberate retreat away from “future licensed IP” – had some commentators questioning if the corporate’s beforehand introduced three-game cope with Marvel could possibly be wrapping up prematurely.
Now, nevertheless, EA has confirmed to IGN that not solely is the deal alive and nicely, the corporate continues to be engaged on “no less than three” Marvel video games following Black Panther’s termination. “The multi-title, long-term relationship between Marvel Video games and EA… stays sturdy,” an EA spokesperson instructed the publication. “Growth of our console and PC titles, starting with Marvel’s Iron Man, is led by Motive Studios.”
Black Panther’s cancellation and subsequent job cuts comply with a string of comparable incidents at EA this 12 months. In April, the corporate laid off greater than 300 staff, with Apex Legends and Star Wars Jedi studio Respawn Leisure dropping round 100 workers. On the identical time, EA cancelled a variety of in-development tasks – reportedly together with a brand new Titanfall recreation – as a part of what it referred to as a “continued concentrate on our long-term strategic priorities”. Nonetheless extra layoffs had been confirmed final month, following EA’s determination to finish its licensing partnership with the WRC.
A second Black Panther challenge unconnected with EA – Skydance Video games’ Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, from Uncharted author Amy Hennig – was lately delayed into subsequent 12 months.
