Electronic Arts feels like a sinking ship. Things have become so gloomy in recent times because of poor performance scores from big titles such as the recently uploaded EA Sports FC 25 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Speculation is afoot that EA is making tough calls in a bid to stay afloat, such as shutting some studios and canceling some projects. Now, news just in seems to point to yet another ominous rumor.
According to a credible insider source, eXtas1s, Codemasters is not seeing a happy future under EA. Their statement holds that EA seems set to close the main Codemasters office. No prizes for guessing what would become of all those talented developers: reassigned to other EA teams working on franchises such as F1 and Need for Speed. The whole alleged move will also be part of a wider wave of about 400 job cuts at the publisher. Things certainly do not sound rosy at EA headquarters.
If these rumors prove to be real, it would be a very sad moment indeed for a studio with such a glorified legacy. Codemasters opened back in 1986. For almost 40 years, they have been one of the powerhouses of the racing genre, delivering many memorable titles. Classics and fan favorites: the Race Driver series, the iconic Colin McRae: Dirt and Rally games, Grid Autosport, and even contributed to Need for Speed: Shift. Their impact on both racing simulations and arcade racers is undeniable.
Just last year, Codemasters was inducted into the EA family via a hefty $1.2 billion deal. For most observers in the industry, this latest rumor, if it were to be verified, unfortunately seems to fit into a very familiar puzzle for the publishing giant-acquire well-loved and successful studios and eventually break them down. That has been the story before, with its very devastating ending for fans and developers at that.
For now, it will be one of those insider claims, but one that will definitely keep the gaming world - racing fans especially - gazing very closely. If it happens, the world would suffer a blow, losing such an industry icon as Codemasters as a separate entity.
