Black Panther Game Report Reveals Alleged Reason for Cancellation

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The unexpected termination of Electronic Arts’ Black Panther project took everyone by surprise, including those who were working on it. While Electronic Arts’ official announcements didn’t provide many details about the game, a recent report from Bloomberg, based on information from former employees, sheds light on why the game was ultimately canceled and discusses some of the innovative aspects it would have showcased.

The report suggests Electronic Arts (EA) faced stagnation in the advancement of their game, as it had been under development for approximately four years without advancing beyond pre-production. Compared to other games on EA’s schedule,

Despite the claim that the game was gradually taking shape, some incidents apparently prevented it from progressing faster. Cliffhanger Games was still in the process of fully expanding its studio, with many new members joining the team over the past year.

Based on accounts from previous staff members, some of the game’s slow development was linked to its adaptation of the Nemesis System, which originated from Monolith Productions’ Middle-earth games. Interestingly, the same studio was shut down and their ‘Wonder Woman’ project, another title utilizing a similar version of the Nemesis System, was canceled as well.

Fundamentally, this game system allows players to engage with a rival faction that keeps track of their actions, fostering a more intimate connection between the player and the characters. This feature marked the uniqueness of the Middle-earth games and has not been fully replicated in another series, although some titles like “Assassin’s Creed Odyssey” have made a starting attempt. It is worth noting that Cliffhanger was overseen by Kevin Stephens, who held positions as vice president and studio head at Monolith.

In the movie “Black Panther,” it’s said that the Nemesis-like System was intended to focus on the Skrulls, a race capable of shape-shifting in the Marvel universe. This would allow them to take on different forms and act as allies, but with an unexpected twist. Characters like Shuri, T’Challa, and Killmonger were all vying for the Black Panther mantle, and players could foster rivalries or alliances with them, possibly through a system similar to Nemesis. These additional elements added depth, but it was reportedly challenging to convey these more intricate gameplay systems to executives at EA.

At the same time, developing a new game and establishing a new studio didn’t necessarily speed up the process. Moreover, EA’s decision to halt remote hiring led to higher costs for Cliffhanger, as their base in Kirkland, Washington, has a relatively high cost of living compared to the national average. According to the United States Census Bureau, the annual median household income is approximately $143,533, and the per capita yearly income stands at around $88,015.

According to Laura Miele, President of EA Entertainment and Technology, she praised Black Panther in September 2024 during the company’s Investor Day. She mentioned that the game boasted “colorful characters” and emphasized its “cutting-edge technology” and “innovative storytelling and design” which were expected to be shared among multiple EA games and studios. She also likened it to the Star Wars: Jedi series due to the advantages gained from a fruitful collaboration with an external company.

According to the report’s conclusion, the shutdown and cancellation unexpectedly occurred during a company-wide gathering. Nevertheless, Motive Studio continues to work on Iron Man’s game for EA, along with two other unidentified Marvel titles. As for now, Marvel 1943: Rise of Hydra, featuring Black Panther, is not published by EA, but it remains in production, albeit experiencing a recent postponement.

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2025-05-31 00:09