EA Black Panther Game Canceled, Studio Closed

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Summary

  • EA has canceled Cliffhanger Games’ Black Panther title and shut down the studio in recent layoffs.
  • The Black Panther game was expected to be set in the modern day, offering unique gameplay elements.
  • EA plans to focus on proven franchises like Battlefield but will continue supporting other games like Iron Man.

It’s been announced that EA has terminated the development of Cliffhanger Games’ “Black Panther” video game and closed down the studio as part of a recent wave of job cuts. The news about this game, set in the Marvel Universe, was initially shared back in 2023, although whispers about it had started circulating a year earlier following the unveiling of EA Motive’s “Iron Man” game. A fresh studio named Cliffhanger Games, based in Seattle, was established to develop this game under the guidance of former Vice President of Monolith Productions, Kevin Stephens.

Over the last few years, there’s been a lot of talk on the internet about the upcoming video game based on “Black Panther,” and how it would differ from the one in Skydance’s Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra. Unlike the latter, which is set during World War II and follows Azzuri (the Black Panther of that time), Cliffhanger’s version seems to be situated in the present day. There have been whispers that players might have the option to assume the role of the panther protector themselves, through a storyline that branches out, and Cliffhanger was said to be aiming to incorporate traditional African martial arts into the gameplay.

Unfortunately, it appears that the Black Panther game developed by Cliffhanger won’t progress under Electronic Arts (EA). IGN reported that EA has made the decision to halt development of Black Panher, as confirmed in an email from EA Entertainment president Laura Miele. Along with this, it was also announced that Cliffhanger Games will be closed down, allegedly due to additional layoffs at EA. The exact number of employees affected hasn’t been disclosed yet, but it is reportedly fewer than the nearly 300 layoffs across Respawn and EA’s Fan Care teams last month.

Black Panther Studio Cliffhanger Games Is Shutting Down

As a devoted fan, I received an email from Miele where they explained that these recent job reductions are part of their strategy to hone our focus and channel our creative energies towards the most promising growth avenues. They mentioned that these tough decisions weren’t made lightly, and they’re diligently working to assist the affected employees by helping them secure new roles within our company.

Miele added that Electronic Arts (EA) is shifting its focus towards a limited number of successful series such as Battlefield, The Sims, Skate, and Apex Legends. Despite this, EA has promised to carry on backing EA Motive’s Iron Man game, Respawn’s third Star Wars: Jedi title, and BioWare’s upcoming Mass Effect game. Regrettably, Cliffhanger Games no longer exists, and the anticipated Black Panther game from that studio will never be released, joining Monolith’s Wonder Woman as a highly-anticipated superhero game that fans can only dream about playing.

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2025-05-28 23:03