Black Panther Game Dead: EA's DEI Misstep and Cliffhanger's Collapse

In May 2025, Electronic Arts (EA) canceled its Black Panther game and shut down Cliffhanger Games, the Seattle-based studio developing it. Cliffhanger, established in 2023 specifically to create a third-person single-player game set in Marvel's Black Panther universe, was closed as part of EA's strategic shift to focus on high-growth franchises like Battlefield and The Sims. The decision was driven by the game's prolonged pre-production phase—over four years—deemed too slow compared to other internal projects, alongside industry-wide cost-cutting trends. EA Entertainment president Laura Miele stated the move was to "sharpen focus" on established IPs.