Amidst recent mass layoffs at Electronic Arts Inc EA, the Star Wars strategy game being developed by Bit Reactor and produced by Respawn managed to survive.
Electronic Arts' layoff announcement in February 2024 included plans to let go of approximately 670 workers, cancel or close certain games and shift focus away from future licensed intellectual property.
While Electronic Arts canceled Respawn's Star Wars first-person shooter (FPS) before its official reveal, the strategy game persevered.
Bit Reactor, the developer behind the game, confirmed its continued development through a tweet: "Last week was difficult for the industry, and more so because of our strong relationships within the other teams at Respawn."
"But for those asking, we are still hard at work, and our game was unaffected by last week's news," the developer added.
When asked about the game's unveiling, Bit Reactor stated it would be revealed "as soon as it's ready."
The Star Wars strategy game was originally announced by Electronic Arts in January 2022, alongside two other projects overseen by Respawn.
With the cancellation of the FPS, the strategy game and Star Wars Jedi 3 remain in development, although no release dates have been provided. Bit Reactor, founded by veterans from Firaxis Games known for their work on the XCOM franchise, is leading the development.
Electronic Arts' decision to double down on owned IP, sports and online communities signals a shift in focus for the company, leaving licensed properties like Star Wars potentially at a disadvantage.
The ongoing wave of layoffs in the gaming industry, impacting thousands of developers, added further strain to an already challenging landscape.
Image created with photos from Shutterstock.
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