Electronic Arts has officially canceled its upcoming Black Panther game and closed the studio working on it, Cliffhanger Games. The decision was revealed through an internal email from EA Entertainment president Laura Miele.
The Black Panther game was announced in 2023. It was going to be a third-person, open-world, single-player action RPG set in Wakanda. The game was in development at Cliffhanger Games, a studio that was formed just last year. It was led by Kevin Stephens and included several developers who had worked on popular games like Shadow of Mordor and Shadow of War.
According to Laura Miele, the cancellation is part of a bigger plan to “sharpen focus” and invest only in franchises with the highest growth potential. EA will now focus on games like Battlefield, Apex Legends, The Sims, and Skate. Development will also continue on Iron Man at Motive, Star Wars Jedi: 3 at Respawn, and the next Mass Effect at BioWare.
At the same time, EA is laying off employees across its mobile and central teams. Although EA did not confirm the exact number, reports suggest it is fewer than the 300 laid off last month. Cliffhanger Games is completely shut down.
Many developers who worked on the Black Panther game shared their disappointment on social media. Concept artist Karla Ortiz said the game was “rich, beautiful, and detailed,” and expressed sadness that the world would never see it. Game designer Sophie Mallinson called the team a “dream team” and confirmed the game was an action RPG.
Another developer, Freddie Lee, who worked as the senior environment architect, praised the team and thanked his colleagues. He said working with such talent was a “pleasure.” Rayme Vinson, a former systems design director at Respawn, even got to see the game in action and called it “ambitious and special.”
This Black Panther game was part of a three-game deal between EA and Marvel, which also includes the Iron Man game and one unannounced title. EA has confirmed that its partnership with Marvel is still going strong, and development will continue on future Marvel projects at Motive Studios.
This move is part of a bigger wave of changes at EA. Over the past two years, EA has laid off hundreds of employees and canceled several projects, including a Titanfall game and a Star Wars shooter. Earlier this year, BioWare was restructured and lost some staff. EA has also asked employees to return to offices, which has raised concerns among remote workers.
It is disappointing for fans who were excited about a game based on one of Marvel’s most powerful superheroes. The team behind the game had experience and passion, and many believed it could have been something special. Sadly, we may never get to see what that Black Panther game would have looked like.
