Insider Gaming reports Respawn's Apex Legends will lose 50 contractors based in the UK. EA has reportedly shut down the region's QA team for the popular battle royale.
According to the outlet, these cuts are separate from previous cuts in March. The QA team were told their contracts (which expire in a few weeks) wouldn't be renewed, and reportedly, staff actually had to tell their managers and leads the news themselves after the call.
The UK team was first formed in 2022 and has been a part of Apex since Season 16. Respawn similarly opened another studio in 2023 based in Wisconsin to also help with development.
It's claimed the UK team performed its tasks well, with one source alleging "everything seemed to be heading to a normal renewal." But the cuts are part of a larger restructuring EA first revealed in February.
EA has previously laid off Apex QA staff in 2023, wherein nearly 300 workers in Baton Rouge, LA were let go. Like with the UK team, this was done without any prior warning.
A lot has happened with EA as of late, some of which you may have missed.
Days ago, it was revealed its Motive subsidiary was tapping in to help DICE with its next Battlefield game. The Iron Man project is still a priority, but the Dead Space franchise is once again MIA.
Ascendant Studios, who partnered with EA on Immortals of Aveum, has allegedly furloughed most of its current staff. The game was a high-profile title under the EA Originals banner, and has been beset by bad luck since its 2023 launch.
Conversely, the 2021 EA Original It Takes Two from Hazelight Studios has sold 16 million copies. As of March 2024, it's the developer's best-selling title and one of the stronger EA Originals.
Finally, EA revealed it'll be bumping up the price of its EA Play subscription service.
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