The Ridgeline Games studio had only been open for two years. Now the Battlefield team has been laid off again
Nearly a day goes by at the moment without us having to report on further redundancies in the games industry. What began in 2023 with the major bloodletting at Embracer has now also taken place at Microsoft, Sony, Twitch, Ubisoft and many other companies.
Just yesterday, EA announced job cuts. And this also affects a studio that has not had a single game to date, has only existed for two years and yet is still relevant for Battlefield fans.
Ridgeline Games should give Battlefield a story
The surprising departure of Halo veteran Marcus Lehto touted as Battlefield’s savior hinted that organizational measures at Electronic Arts will also have an impact on the popular multiplayer shooter.
We now know: Ridgeline Games has also been closed. If the studio doesn’t tell you anything ad hoc, it’s no wonder. The team, which was only launched in 2022, was to take care of the development of a story campaign for the next Battlefield in the future. In this context, one of the first tweets after its foundation has not aged particularly well either:
1st tweet! We’re humbled to join the legacy Battlefield has carried for 20 years. As we look to develop a narrative campaign set in the Battlefield universe, we’re excited to work closely with @EA_DICE @RippleEffect @IndustrialToys on this journey! https://t.co/Pmnwgj418t pic.twitter.com/8BWkFy4iCZ
– Ridgeline Games (@ridgelinegames) September 8, 2022
A replacement has already been found
It is not known how many people worked at Ridgeline Games recently. What is already known, however, is an internal successor for the work on the Battlefield story campaign: Criterion Games will take over The former racing game experts (Burnout series) have already worked on BF2042
EA Entertainment President Laura Miele announced the succession solution in the same breath as the closure of Ridgeline Games (originally found on the EA blog):
The wave of layoffs in the games industry continues and it is therefore important to talk about the background to these developments. We have already spoken to shocked employees who are currently fearing for their life’s dream. Micha also has a clear opinion on the current situation, which he has recorded for you in video form. You can find everything in the box above
Our vision for Battlefield is ambitious and exciting. The project is making significant progress thanks to the strong leadership of Vince Zampella and Byron Beede and dedicated studios committed to building a Battlefield platform that our fans will love.
Today we have the largest Battlefield team in the history of the franchise, with passionate people around the world and our studios organized to benefit from both franchise and local leadership.
Marcus Lehto recently made a personal decision to leave the project. To ensure that our work can continue without interruption, we have immediately handed over the reins to Criterion to oversee our work on the single player mode.
As part of this change, we will be dissolving Ridgeline as a standalone studio in Seattle, with some team members moving to Ripple Effect. They will continue to work with the DICE, Ripple and Criterion teams as they develop the next Battlefield experience.
