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Marcus Lehto, who up until just recently was the studio head of Ridgeline Games dealing with a brand-new single-player focused entry in the Battlefield franchise, isn’t delighted about how EA treated his previous studio.
Lehto, among the co-creators of Halo, parted methods with Ridgeline and EA back in February simply days ahead of mass layoffs at the publisher. Those layoffs saw the studio he assisted integrate in 2022, Ridgeline Games, shuttered. It is approximated around 670 staff members lost their tasks as part of EA’s 5% labor force decrease. Much of the designers operating at Ridgeline on a brand-new Battlefield video game were released, though some were permitted to move to another Battlefield studio, Ripple Effect, according to IGN.
Not been stating much here considering that I do not have anything favorable to state about EA, my current departure, and how many, including my group, are suffering due to the market sweeping layoffs.
— Marcus Lehto (@game_fabricator) March 15, 2024
The previous Ridgeline studio head has actually mostly been peaceful following his departure back in February, and specified he would be stepping far from video game advancement to see “what, if anything” he wishes to do next which he was “gut-punched” by EA laying off his previous group. Lehto, nevertheless, just recently broke his silence in the wake of EA’s layoffs in a post on X.
“Not been stating much here given that I do not have anything favorable to state about EA, my current departure, and how a lot of, including my group, are suffering due to the market sweeping layoffs,” Lehto stated.
Lehto formerly stated he left EA and Ridgeline “of his own accord,” calling it “an extremely difficult choice” to make. He has actually not given that elaborated on the scenarios surrounding his departure.
Information on Ridgeline’s narrative-driven Battlefield video game were couple of, however it became part of a larger effort at EA to develop what it called “a linked Battlefield universe,” one that would take gamers “on unbelievable experiences that are just possible in the Battlefield universe.” In 2015, it was revealed the Sweden-based DICE, who has actually generally been the primary designer behind the franchise, would help Ridgeline as a co-developer on its single-player Battlefield entry.
“Our vision paired with [DICE’s] experience with the franchise is visiting us develop a single-player project that will engage gamers in brand-new methods while likewise staying real to the traditional aspects of what makes Battlefield genuinely distinct!” Lehto stated at the time.
Regardless of a rocky launch and combined evaluations, EA has actually continued to support Battlefield 2042, which will quickly get its seventh multiplayer season. The next multiplayer Battlefield video game, established by Ripple Effect, will apparently include a free-to-play fight royale and is slated for a 2025 release. Market layoffs are leaving both designers and fans asking “How did we get here?” and questioning what follows.