Gamers protest EA buyout and microtransactions outside headquarters

A group of gamers and activists gathered outside Electronic Arts headquarters in Redwood City on May 11 to voice opposition to the company's recent layoffs, microtransactions, and a planned $55 billion acquisition by Saudi Arabia.

The demonstration, organized by The Players Alliance and livestreamed on Twitch by SlayerKase, featured a 50-foot petition sheet signed by more than 70,000 people. Participants held signs reading “devs & players over investors” and “no DLC for corporate greed,” along with cutouts of EA CEO Andrew Wilson, Jared Kushner, and Saudi prime minister Mohammed bin Salman portrayed as video game bosses. Fans also wore Sims-style plumbobs during the event.

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Thousands protest on May Day 2026 in NYC, calling for economic boycott against Trump policies and taxing the wealthy.
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Nationwide May Day protests call for economic blackout

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Thousands of activists, union members and students mobilized across the United States on May 1, 2026, for May Day demonstrations under the 'May Day Strong' banner. Organizers urged a boycott of school, work and shopping to protest Trump administration policies and demand taxing the wealthy. Events unfolded in cities including New York, Washington, D.C., Chicago and others.

Bankers financing Electronic Arts' leveraged buyout by Saudi Arabia and others raced to sell billions in debt amid U.S. threats against Iran. JPMorgan managed to offload the financing just in time, as President Trump considered military action. EA executives pitched AI's benefits to wary investors during the process.

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Electronic Arts has laid off an unspecified number of developers across its Battlefield studios—including DICE, Criterion, Ripple Effect, and Motive—despite Battlefield 6's strong 2025 sales. The move, announced March 9, 2026, realigns teams around community priorities following developers' February comments on post-launch player decline. Affected studios will continue live-service updates.

Speculative Agency, developer of the upcoming game All Will Rise, has returned funding from Microsoft as part of the No Games for Genocide boycott. The studio broke its contract signed in 2025 to protest Microsoft's alleged complicity in Israeli actions in Gaza. Microsoft has agreed to the termination, though details remain unresolved.

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This weekend, thousands joined 'No Kings' protests in US cities against the current administration's policies and unilateral coercive measures against Cuba. Events occurred across all 50 states, with over 3,300 activities scheduled. In Italy, around 300,000 people rallied for world peace.

Electronic Arts and Maxis have announced that The Sims 4 will no longer receive new expansion packs, game packs, or stuff packs. Future content will focus on free updates and marketplace releases, including kits and maker sets. This shift accompanies the launch of the in-game Marketplace on March 17, 2026, for PC and Mac.

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Several developers from Warner Bros. Montréal have announced on LinkedIn that they have been laid off, with most finishing on Friday, 13th March. No formal confirmation from the company has been issued yet. The reports come amid ongoing struggles in Warner Bros.' games division.

 

 

 

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