Electronic Arts is scrapping its upcoming Black Panther title and winding down developer Cliffhanger Games, as reported by IGN.

Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment, outlined in a staff memo that these shifts—alongside recent project cancellations and workforce reductions—are intended to "sharpen our focus and direct creative energy toward the most significant growth opportunities."

Beyond closing Cliffhanger and canceling Black Panther, EA is reducing headcount across both its mobile and central teams. While EA declined to specify the exact number of affected employees, IGN estimates this round impacts fewer than the approximately 300 positions cut last month at Respawn and EA’s Fan Care departments.

"These decisions are difficult," Miele noted in her message. "They impact individuals we’ve collaborated with, learned from, and shared meaningful experiences alongside. We are committed to supporting them—including helping secure internal roles within EA, where our placement initiatives have proven successful."

Consistent with previous restructuring efforts, EA is prioritizing the placement of impacted staff into other company positions. This program remains active despite frequent team reductions, likely because EA has significantly expanded its workforce elsewhere; according to Game File, EA’s headcount increased by 800 employees in March compared to the same period last year.

Although not explicitly detailed in the memo—likely because Miele oversees EA Entertainment rather than the separate EA Sports division—the sports segment remains unaffected for now.

The canceled Black Panther project was part of a three-title agreement with Marvel, which also included an Iron Man game and one undisclosed title. Since its 2023 reveal, little has been shown of the Black Panther project, though job postings indicated it would be a single-player, action-adventure open-world experience. It was being developed by Cliffhanger Games, established in 2023 with veterans from Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor and led by Kevin Stephens.

These latest reductions follow a series of layoffs and cancellations at EA over recent years, particularly throughout 2025. Just last month, approximately 300 employees were let go, including around 100 at Respawn, alongside the cancellation of an in-development Titanfall title and another internal project. Earlier this year, BioWare underwent restructuring involving staff reallocation and layoffs, following a massive company-wide shakeup in 2024 that saw 670 positions eliminated, including two dozen at Respawn. In 2023, EA cut 50 jobs at BioWare and an unspecified number at Codemasters.

Furthermore, EA recently enforced mandatory return-to-office policies for all staff. Some employees told IGN this has raised concerns among remote workers regarding the long-term security of their roles.

When asked about the specific headcount affected, the rationale behind these repeated cuts, or if further reductions are imminent, EA directed IGN to Miele’s email. Marvel has not yet provided a comment in response to IGN’s inquiry.