In a bizarre and bittersweet twist of fate, Apex Legends narrative designer Heather Woodward was laid off from Respawn Entertainment the same day her newly created Legend, Sparrow, was officially revealed for the game’s upcoming 25th season.

The news came shortly after Respawn’s announcement on April 29th, unveiling Sparrow—a recon-focused Legend with an aerial mobility kit and deep lore connections to fan-favorite characters like Valkyrie and Crypto. The excitement around the reveal quickly turned to confusion and frustration as Woodward, the very writer responsible for the character’s backstory and development, confirmed via social media that she had been let go from the studio.

“I poured my soul into Sparrow. Today, the world met her. Today, I also lost my job,” Woodward wrote in a now-viral post on X (formerly Twitter).

EA Layoffs Hit Respawn Again

Woodward’s dismissal was part of a wider wave of layoffs at EA, which saw an estimated 300–400 employees across multiple divisions lose their jobs. These layoffs were part of ongoing restructuring efforts from Electronic Arts, which also resulted in the cancellation of multiple in-development projects—including a highly anticipated Titanfall universe title codenamed R7, which had been in early production at Respawn.

This marks the third consecutive year EA has implemented mass layoffs, despite the company posting strong financial results and maintaining a market valuation north of $35 billion.

Sources close to the situation have said that the cuts were sudden, with many staff members receiving little to no warning. “It’s brutal,” one Respawn employee said anonymously. “We were working on key seasonal content and new characters, and some of us didn’t know who would still be on the team the next day.”

Community Reaction

Fans and industry professionals have rallied behind Woodward, expressing frustration at the timing of her layoff and the broader trend of instability within the video game industry. On Reddit, the Apex Legends subreddit has seen several top-voted posts criticizing EA’s handling of the layoffs, with many calling it “tone-deaf” and “disrespectful” to the developers whose creative efforts fuel the game.

“Imagine building something this important, putting your name on it, only to be let go the same day it drops,” one Reddit user commented. “That’s a slap in the face.”

Notably, Sparrow has already drawn praise for her design and lore integration, with players applauding the narrative depth and her unique playstyle that sets her apart from recent additions to the roster.

A Troubling Industry Trend

Woodward’s story is just one of many as the industry continues to grapple with corporate restructuring and profit-driven layoffs. Despite record-setting engagement numbers and consistent revenue from live service titles like Apex Legends, studios under larger publishing umbrellas have seen waves of staff cuts in recent years—often with little transparency.

Developers from BioWare, Riot Games, Ubisoft, and now Respawn have all found themselves in similar situations, as publishers attempt to “refocus resources” while maintaining investor confidence.

What’s Next?

It remains unclear what’s next for Woodward or the rest of the impacted Respawn staff. In the meantime, she’s been receiving widespread support from the dev community, with many urging studios to hire her immediately.

As for Apex Legends, Season 25 is set to launch on May 14th, with Sparrow leading the charge. Ironically, one of the game’s most promising Legends now stands as a symbol of the very instability plaguing the industry she was meant to invigorate.