Reacting to EA's Decision: Insights from Star Wars Strategy Game Developer on Mandalorian FPS Cancelation
Explore the response from the developer of an upcoming Star Wars strategy game following EA's announcement to cancel Respawn Entertainment's Mandalorian FPS project. Gain insights into the industry dynamics and implications of this decision.
Bit Reactor has confirmed that the upcoming Star Wars strategy game is still in development. The studio provided a project status update in response to Electronic Arts canceling Respawn's Star Wars FPS. This FPS was rumored to feature players as a Mandalorian bounty hunter.
On January 25, it was the two-year anniversary of EA announcing three new Star Wars games. Star Wars Jedi: Survivor is the only one that has been released so far. The other two games were an unnamed FPS from Respawn and a strategy game from Bit Reactor, a Maryland studio founded by former Firaxis developers with some help from Respawn. Unfortunately, the FPS was canceled in late February due to restructuring at EA.
Bit Reactor has not canceled its Star Wars strategy game, despite the news circulating about EA canceling Respawn's Star Wars FPS. While the official confirmation is still pending, Bit Reactor's recent comments on the matter have added weight to the initial report. On Twitter, the company mentioned the challenges faced by the industry last week and expressed disappointment over the cancellation of the FPS project, citing the strong relationships built with Respawn.
Twitter article posted by BIT REACTOR
Bit Reactor wants to reassure fans that their Star Wars project is still in the works. They mentioned that the strategy game they are developing has not been affected by recent news. While they haven't shared any concrete details about the game yet, they promised to do so once it's ready. Similar to the canceled FPS game, Bit Reactor and Respawn's Star Wars strategy game have been quiet since its confirmation in early 2022.
Bit Reactor logo over official company dot halftone artwork - The restructuring efforts that led to the purported cancelation of the Star Wars FPS have also resulted in nearly 700 layoffs across EA
The reorganization that led to the cancellation of the Star Wars FPS game also resulted in around 700 job cuts at EA. Fortunately, the Respawn team working on the canceled project will not be affected by the layoffs. Instead, EA plans to reassign them to other projects, including existing games like Apex Legends and upcoming releases such as the third Star Wars Jedi game. There is also speculation that the team could work on EA's upcoming Iron Man and Black Panther games.
It's uncertain if this will be EA's final attempt to cut costs after the pandemic, but it's not their first. In 2023, the gaming company has let go of many employees and decided not to renew contracts, such as the 200 Apex Legends QA testers who lost their jobs last year.
Editor's P/S:
The article provides an update on the development status of the upcoming Star Wars strategy game from Bit Reactor. While the cancellation of the Respawn Star Wars FPS is disappointing, it's reassuring to know that Bit Reactor's project remains in development. However, the industry-wide challenges mentioned by the studio raise concerns about the potential impact on the game's release timeline and overall quality.
EA's recent restructuring and layoffs are a reminder of the ongoing challenges facing the gaming industry. While it's unfortunate that the Star Wars FPS project was canceled, the reassignment of the development team to other projects offers hope for the future. However, the industry's reliance on cost-cutting measures could potentially compromise the creativity and innovation that drives the development of engaging and immersive gaming experiences.
