Anonymous current and former Electronic Arts employees told Vertical Slice that managers strongly encouraged generative AI use after layoffs communicated internally on October 21, 2026. They said AI use was not formally mandated at the time of their accounts. Vertical Slice published its report on October 27.
What employees said about the layoffs
Vertical Slice reported that about 400 people lost jobs in the wider round, which included BioWare’s closure. One employee described low morale and said the workload felt much the same despite having fewer colleagues.
How employees described AI pressure
Employees told Vertical Slice that managers called generative AI the future and urged staff to get on board. They described strong encouragement, not a formal requirement at the time. One employee named Claude as a tool that upper management was enthusiastic about.
Full Circle staffing and internal job searches
Vertical Slice attributed to multiple sources an estimate that Full Circle had lost around 30% to 40% of a team of more than 100 people.
Some employees affected by the cuts reportedly received time to apply for other EA jobs. Many open roles reportedly required employees to work in the office three days a week.
