Gaming Studios Face Layoffs Amid Disappointments and Restructuring

Electronic Arts (EA) has reportedly laid off up to two thirds of its Melbourne-based Firemonkeys Studios team as it changes the studio's focus to solely support The Sims Freeplay. Previously, Firemonkey handled live service operations for mobile titles Real Racing 3, Need for Speed: No Limits and The Sims Freeplay. Operations for Real Racing and Need for Speed are expected to be moved to EA's India-based studio Slingshot. EA executives told the Firemonkeys team in April that the business was to become a "monotitle" studio.