EA's ongoing restructuring efforts have resulted in layoffs at Full Circle, the studio developing the latest installment in the Skate franchise. The news follows EA's decision to close down Mass Effect developer BioWare, with an undisclosed number of Full Circle staff reportedly being let go.
Several developers took to LinkedIn to confirm their departures. John Epler, a seasonal creative director at Full Circle, stated that his role had been eliminated. "Coming up on my 19 year anniversary in the industry — and all of that time spent at EA — I can’t say I’m sad. A little nervous, definitely, but I’m looking forward to doing something new," Epler wrote.
Senior game designer Adam Martinazzi also confirmed his departure, expressing a mix of sadness, frustration, and gratitude. "Part of me is sad and frustrated. The other part accepts that this is a ‘just part of the industry.' And the other other part is grateful for the time I got to spend working on a cool game with lots of awesome people," he stated.
Another senior designer, David Milne, shared similar sentiments, noting his enjoyment of working on Skate and the team. "Looks like my position at Full Circle has been eliminated. Sad to have to leave. I really enjoyed working on Skate and loved the team I worked with. But it’s on to the next thing now," Milne said.
This is not the first time Full Circle has experienced layoffs. The studio faced a similar wave of staff reductions in February, at which time Full Circle released a statement emphasizing the talent of the affected employees and their contributions to the game.
In an internal memo addressing the layoffs, EA stated that for Skate, the company is "making changes to the studio to have a more focused, smaller team to deliver on a very clear roadmap for our community that we believe will build a healthier and more sustainable business." The memo indicated that Skate remains an active project, but will be supported by a more streamlined team.
According to Bloomberg, EA is cutting approximately 400 jobs across the company, representing 3% of its total workforce. Of these, 50 were reportedly working on the next Mass Effect before BioWare's closure.
Full Circle recently addressed the community's interest in mods, particularly following the viral launch of a fan-made modding platform called ReSkate. While acknowledging the desire for "more freedom and custom features," the studio indicated it was developing "official, secure access tools that enable broader, deeper community creation," while also taking a stance against mods that bypass paid cosmetics or generate revenue.
EA's restructuring and layoffs occur in the context of its recent transition to a private company, which involved Saudi Arabian investment. Despite record-breaking success for titles like Battlefield 6, EA has previously implemented staff reductions across studios, including those working on the Battlefield franchise.