Layoffs Hit Battlefield Studios Despite Battlefield 6’s Record-Breaking Sales
Electronic Arts has reportedly laid off an unknown number of employees across its Battlefield Studios, according to a article from IGN. The Battlefield development network includes several internal teams working on the franchise, including Criterion Games, DICE, Ripple Effect Studios, and Motive Studio.
The layoffs are reportedly part of what EA describes as a “realignment” across Battlefield Labs, as the publisher adjusts its development structure while continuing work on the franchise’s current live-service initiatives.
Battlefield Development Continues
Despite the layoffs, development on Battlefield 6 is continuing. The teams involved remain focused on the game’s ongoing live-service ecosystem, including multiplayer support and the recently introduced battle royale mode RedSec.
According to EA, all four studios will remain operational, though it remains unclear how the staffing changes may affect future patches, seasonal updates, and new content releases for Battlefield 6.
IGN contacted EA through official channels seeking clarification on the number of employees affected and which positions were impacted. An EA spokesperson responded with the following statement:
“We’ve made select changes within our Battlefield organization to better align our teams around what matters most to our community. Battlefield remains one of our biggest priorities, and we’re continuing to invest in the franchise, guided by player feedback and insights from Battlefield Labs.”
A Record-Breaking Launch
Despite current challenges, Battlefield 6 launched to significant commercial success. In 2025, the title became the best-selling game in the United States, selling roughly 7 million copies and marking the most successful launch in the history of the Battlefield franchise.
For the first time, a Battlefield title outsold the latest Call of Duty release, an achievement that signaled renewed momentum for the long-running shooter series, especially after the debacle of Battlefield 2042.
Post-Launch Momentum Woes
Since its late 2025 release, however, Battlefield 6 has struggled to maintain its early momentum. Players have voiced concerns over a variety of issues, including gameplay balance changes, cosmetics, weapon tuning, and monetization practices.
Community criticism has also focused on the use of generative AI tools and slower-than-expected content updates. These concerns ultimately prompted Battlefield Labs to delay the launch of Season 2 multiplayer, allowing the development team time to implement feedback from the player base.
More recently, EA published a three-month roadmap outlining the immediate future of Battlefield 6 and its upcoming content updates.
Player Numbers Paint a Mixed Picture
Looking at Steam provides one possible snapshot of the game’s current player activity.
Battlefield 6 reached a peak of 747,700 concurrent players, an impressive milestone for a modern first-person shooter given the crowded market of competing titles. As of this week, the game is averaging roughly 67,000 concurrent players on Steam.
While this represents a significant decline from launch numbers, such drops are common as initial hype fades and the player base stabilizes. It’s also important to note that Steam data only represents a portion of the overall player population, excluding users on PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S.
Meanwhile, the newly launched RedSec battle royale mode has faced its own difficulties, currently holding mostly negative user reviews on Steam.
High Expectations Inside EA
Battlefield 6 was widely viewed as a critical release for Electronic Arts. In an article from Kotaku by Zack Zwiezen, he indicates that the game’s development budget may have reached as high as $400 million, making it one of the most expensive projects in the franchise’s history.
According to reporting from Ars Technica and relied by Kotaku, EA leadership reportedly set an ambitious internal goal of attracting 100 million players to the franchise.
For comparison, Battlefield 1, previously the franchise’s most successful entry, reached approximately 30 million players during its lifecycle.
Developers speaking to Ars Technica reportedly felt the new target was unrealistic, suggesting the expectation created a difficult scenario for the team regardless of the outcome. This idea from top leadership at EA created a lose-lose situation for the teams at Battlefield Labs. Even if the game somehow reached that scale, developers would have to potentially worry about the infrastructure required to support such growth could create major challenges for stability and player experience.
EA’s Corporate Transition
These layoffs are also unfolding during a significant corporate transition for EA.
In September 2025, the publisher announced plans to sell the company to a financial consortium including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Firm, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners in a deal valued at approximately $55 billion.
At the time of the announcement, EA leadership stated that no immediate workforce changes were planned, though industry observers noted that restructuring is often common during large acquisitions.
Closing Thoughts
For Electronic Arts, the Battlefield franchise remains one of the company’s most valuable properties and one that carries significant expectations from both leadership and the player community. While Battlefield 6 achieved a historic launch, the challenges of maintaining a large live-service component in a highly competitive market continue to test the development teams behind it. As Battlefield Studios move forward under new internal alignment and a looming corporate transition, the coming months will likely prove critical in determining whether Battlefield 6 can regain its momentum and solidify its place in the modern FPS landscape.
