- 2024 is full of layoffs for the gaming industry.
- Today, Respawn Entertainment has been hit with layoffs.
- Various developers who spent years on Apex Legends are no longer part of the studio.
2024 could just end up as the worst year for developers and publishers. With big studios laying off hundreds of developers, there is no telling who may be next. EA recently joined the group, laying off around 670 people from its various studios.
Following that announcement, Respawn Entertainment, the team behind the beloved Titanfall and Apex Legends IPs, is the latest to go through this worrying trend.
Why it matters: One of Respawn Entertainment’s major projects was already canceled after EA’s initial round of layoffs.
The Apex team was hit with layoffs today. It sucks seeing some of the people I've worked with for almost 3 years now get let go. Hopefully, they land on their feet sooner rather than later.
— Aaron (@AaronWStump) March 14, 2024
A level designer at Respawn Entertainment, Aaron Stump, confirmed today’s layoffs, stating that people who had been part of the team for nearly three years were being let go.
While it’s sad and disappointing, Aaron Stump is still hoping that all of these workers will land on their feet sooner or later. Some of the affected people have also expressed their emotions on Twitter.
After 20 Seasons of Apex and 5 years at Respawn, my job has been made redundant. I have been laid off.
-Alex Ackerman
The studio has cut jobs from various roles, including a Social Media Lead who was working in the position for half a decade. She expressed gratitude for the opportunity despite the disheartening news.
A Senior Writer at the studio also shared his thoughts on Twitter, stating that while he’s thankful to be safe, he feels gutted for everyone who’s been laid off. Like everyone else, he believes such layoffs make it hard to enjoy the medium.
While the exact number of developers who have been laid off at Respawn Entertainment hasn’t been revealed, our prayers are with everyone, and we hope they will be able to secure another position as soon as possible.
EA’s entertainment and technology president confirmed last week that these layoffs would allow them to focus on fewer IPs.
As for Respawn Entertainment, it has been reported that the team may be returning to the Titanfall universe for its next game. While this won’t be a direct sequel, we are looking forward to a return to Titanfall.
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[News Reporter]
Abiyan is on track to complete his Computer Science bachelor’s degree. His enthusiasm for writing and gaming motivates him to keep readers and gamers updated with the latest information from the industry. In his free time, Abiyan enjoys playing Dota 2 and Rocket League. Abiyan has also been cited in reputed websites such as Kitguru, Comicbook, GamingBible, Eurogamer and Gamingbolt.