EA group exec in charge of Maxis, BioWare, and Motive departs

Samantha Ryan, the veteran EA exec who led the studios behind the publisher's single-player and lifestyle franchises, has stepped down.

EA confirmed the news to VentureBeat and explained Ryan wanted to shake things up and undertake new professional projects. "We are sad to see her go but support her in her decision," added a company spokesperson.

Rachel Franklin will replace Ryan as the group exec in charge of studios like Maxis, Full Circle, BioWare, and Motive Studios.

Franklin has spent roughly six years at EA across two different spells, having first joined the company in 2013 as VP and general manager of The Sims developer Maxis. She eventually left EA in 2016 to become head of social VR at Meta before returning in 2020 as SVP of positive play.

Ryan, who spent over eight years at EA, departs shortly after the publisher was split into two separate divisions in a bid to "empower" its creative teams.

Breaking the news in June, EA CEO Andrew Wilson said that EA Games would be divided into EA Entertainment and EA Sports to "accelerate our business, drive growth, and deliver long-term value" for both players and employees.

EA Entertainment will focus on licensed IP and other major franchises like Battlefield, Mass Effect, and Dead Space. It will also include the EA Originals label.

EA Sports, meanwhile, will handle the company's various sports franchises including EA Sports FC and its American football titles.