Battlefield 6 teams hit with layoffs despite 'biggest launch in franchise history'

"Battlefield 6 launched last October with huge expectations, and at least initially it seemed to meet them. EA called the game "the biggest launch in franchise history," citing 7 million copies sold in just three days. It was also a particularly ambitious attempt to go up against the juggernaut that is Call of Duty, with EA creating a four-studio team to develop the game."

"However, Battlefield 6 appears to be yet another victim of the outsized expectations placed on live-service games, as publishers seek out the long-term revenue of games like Fortnite, despite the brutal competition. Last month another EA studio, Full Circle, the developer behind the live-service reboot of Skate, was also hit with layoffs."

"The shooter space that Battlefield 6 entered into is particularly volatile. Later this week Highguard, a squad-shooter from the Tencent-backed studio Wildlight, will be shutting down permanently after less than two months since launch. It joins other short-lived, high-profile shooters like Sony's Concord."

Battlefield 6 faced layoffs at EA studios Criterion, Dice, Ripple Effect, and Motive despite being called the biggest launch in franchise history with 7 million copies sold in three days. The game represents an ambitious four-studio effort to compete with Call of Duty but has become another casualty of unrealistic live-service expectations. Publishers pursue long-term revenue models similar to Fortnite, creating intense competition. The competitive shooter market remains volatile, with multiple high-profile titles failing shortly after launch, including Highguard and Sony's Concord. Even major productions like Bungie's Marathon face pressure to achieve immediate success.

Read at The Verge