Electronic Arts has canceled its upcoming Black Panther video game and closed its developer, Cliffhanger Games, as part of a broader strategic realignment.
Cliffhanger Games, a Seattle-based studio formed in 2023, was specifically built to develop the Black Panther title. The studio, led by Monolith Productions alum Kevin Stephens (best known for Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War), brought together top talent from major franchises including God of War, Halo, and Call of Duty. Despite this pedigree, the game never progressed past early development.
In an internal memo shared with staff and obtained by IGN, EA’s President of Entertainment, Laura Miele, said the decision is part of the company’s plan to concentrate resources on its most promising and scalable projects. “We’re aligning our focus behind the biggest growth opportunities,” Miele wrote.
The closure of Cliffhanger follows a broader wave of cost-cutting measures. EA confirmed additional layoffs affecting its mobile and central support teams, though the company did not provide specific figures. These cuts come just months after an earlier layoff round in April 2025, which impacted roughly 300 employees and reportedly led to the cancellation of a Titanfall game in development.
EA’s decision also casts a shadow over its multi-title licensing deal with Marvel. When the deal was struck, EA committed to producing at least three games based on Marvel properties. With Black Panther canceled, only Iron Man, currently in development at Motive Studio, remains publicly confirmed.
Despite the downsizing, EA’s workforce has grown overall. According to company filings, EA employed over 800 more people in March 2025 than it did a year earlier. This expansion comes even as the company reported a modest decline in full-year revenue, from $7.562 billion to $7.463 billion, and a drop in net profit from $1.273 billion to $1.121 billion.
Still, EA generated $1.9 billion in revenue and $254 million in profit during the last quarter alone—highlighting the company’s continued profitability even amid restructuring.
Going forward, EA is doubling down on its flagship properties, including The Sims, Battlefield, Skate, Apex Legends, and Star Wars: Jedi. BioWare continues to work on the next Mass Effect, and EA Sports titles—like Madden, NHL, College Football, and EA Sports FC—remain integral to the publisher’s portfolio.
The cancellation of Black Panther adds to a growing list of scrapped superhero titles, joining Warner Bros.’ now-abandoned Wonder Woman game. As development budgets soar and competition tightens, even high-profile IPs aren’t immune to the shifting priorities of major studios.
