Latest news with #KevinStephens
San Francisco Chronicle
2 days ago
- Entertainment
- San Francisco Chronicle
Electronic Arts cancels ‘Black Panther' video game, shutters Cliffhanger Studios in latest cuts
Electronic Arts has canceled development of its anticipated 'Black Panther' video game and closed Seattle-based Cliffhanger Games, the studio behind the project, in its latest move to streamline operations and refocus on core franchises. The decision, first reported by IGN and confirmed by EA, follows a wave of layoffs that have rocked the Bay Area video game publisher in recent weeks. In April, EA dismissed between 300 and 400 employees and scrapped a new game in the 'Titanfall' universe. Fewer employees were affected in this latest round, though EA declined to specify the number. 'These decisions are hard,' Laura Miele, president of EA Entertainment, wrote in an email to staff on Wednesday. 'They affect people we've worked with, learned from, and shared real moments with. We're doing everything we can to support them — including finding opportunities within EA.' The 'Black Panther' title, developed in collaboration with Marvel and Disney, was announced in July 2023 as the first in a planned three-game partnership. Cliffhanger Games was led by industry veteran Kevin Stephens, who had previously overseen Monolith Productions. At the time, Stephens promised a 'definitive and authentic Black Panther experience' that would let players explore the fictional African nation of Wakanda. The move reflects a broader shift at EA to double down on its biggest properties. In the company's fourth quarter earnings report, CEO Andrew Wilson pointed to the 'incredible success' of its revived college football title and 'the enduring strength' of its soccer franchise, noting a record year for EA Sports. Looking ahead, Wilson teased a summer reveal for the next installment in the 'Battlefield' franchise. The closure of Cliffhanger and the game's cancellation mark EA's third major restructuring effort in 2025, highlighting the publisher's retreat from licensed IPs in favor of internally owned brands like 'Apex Legends,' 'The Sims' and 'Battlefield.'
Geek Wire
3 days ago
- Business
- Geek Wire
Report: Electronic Arts shutters Seattle-area studio Cliffhanger Games, cancels ‘Black Panther' game
Black Panther prepares to receive MoPOP exhibit visitors. (GeekWire File Photo / Frank Catalano) Electronic Arts plans to shutter its subsidiary Cliffhanger Games and has canceled development on its debut project, an original video game starring Marvel's Black Panther. IGN first reported the news. Cliffhanger was formerly based in Kirkland, Wash. An unknown number of employees are affected by the closure, which comes alongside a wave of layoffs at other departments within EA. According to LinkedIn, Cliffhanger employed 74 people, and had been onboarding new hires as recently as last month. IGN reported that EA has adopted a recent policy where laid-off employees may end up reassigned to other teams within the company rather than simply dismissed. Despite several waves of dismissals and reorganizations in the last two years, EA reportedly has a higher overall headcount now than it did in 2024. According to an internal EA email from president Laura Miele, cited by IGN, Cliffhanger's shutdown is part of a series of changes that are intended to 'sharpen our focus and put our creative energy behind the most significant growth opportunities.' Cliffhanger debuted in 2023 under the leadership of former Monolith Productions studio head Kevin Stephens, after a two-year incubation period. It had yet to divulge any real details about its Black Panther project, but the earliest reports about Cliffhanger indicate that BP would've been an open-world action-adventure in the same spirit as Monolith's award-winning Shadow of Mordor. Electronic Arts, headquartered in Redwood City, Calif., is one of the largest independent video game companies left in the modern industry. It's arguably best known to mainstream audiences for its Madden and FIFA sports games, but has also produced big hits like Battlefield, Dead Space, Mass Effect, and Apex Legends. Its recent layoffs have been attributed to a process of reorganization and refocus that was first announced in 2024 by CEO Andrew Wilson, which he called 'leading through an accelerated industry transformation.' Cliffhanger's closure is the latest in a series of shutdowns and layoffs that have plagued the international video game industry for over two years. In the Pacific Northwest, impacted companies include Phoenix Labs, Monolith Productions, Rec Room, and Wizards of the Coast's Project Sigil team.
The Verge
3 days ago
- Business
- The Verge
EA cancels Black Panther game
EA's Black Panther game has been cancelled. According to reporting from IGN, EA announced the news via an email to employees. IGN also reports that as a result of the cancellation, Cliffhanger Studios has been shut down. Cliffhanger Studios was a new games studio created to develop Black Panther and run by Kevin Stephens who was the studio head for the now shuttered Middle-earth: Shadow of Mordor developer Monolith Studios. Beyond an initial announcement in 2023, all that was known of Black Panther was that it was a single-player game with an original narrative and developed in collaboration with Marvel Studios. EA and Marvel announced a three-game partnership deal in 2022. In addition to Black Panther, the other two games in the deal was an Iron Man title currently in production at Motive Studios, and an as-yet unannounced action game. According to IGN, the cancellation comes with layoffs in other sectors of EA's business. The publisher recently announced an RTO mandate requiring employees come in at least three days a week and a round of layoffs occurred earlier this year impacting between 300 and 400 employees. The Verge has reached out to EA for comment. The game's cancellation does not spell the end for the hope of a Black Panther led title. Over at Skybound Entertainment, Amy Henning and team are working on Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra which features Captain America and Black Panther as playable characters.
Yahoo
27-03-2025
- Yahoo
Police chase through multiple parishes leads to arrest of Louisiana man
BATON ROUGE, La. (Louisiana First) — A silver Mini Cooper S led police on a chase after a traffic stop in Livingston Parish on Wednesday, March 26. Kevin Stephens, 55, from Hammond, was arrested after a pursuit. He faces several charges, including having a switched plate, reckless operation, aggravated obstruction of highway commerce, and aggravated flight from an officer. Troopers with the Louisiana State Police attempted to pull the vehicle over around 12:34 a.m. on LA 16. The Mini Cooper reached speeds of up to 130 mph and crossed multiple parishes, according to LSP. State police said that the vehicle traveled west on I-12 and I-10. It passed through Livingston, East Baton Rouge, West Baton Rouge, and Iberville parishes. The chase ended at the I-10 westbound exit ramp at LA 975, and Stephens was caught after trying to run away. Stephens was booked into the Iberville Parish prison. Baton Rouge Fire mechanic wanted, accused of crashing city vehicle while under the influence A pilot in Alaska survived a night on a frozen lake after the plane began sinking. So why is the FAA taking disciplinary action? Watch: Toddler slips through White House fence 'I am a clown': Florida man dressed as clown gets in scuffle with police Police: Man injured in Baton Rouge shooting, home damaged Which MLB teams have never won a World Series? Copyright 2025 Nexstar Media, Inc. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.
