LogInIt goes as well as you can imagine.
Electronic Arts
Remote work became a popular necessity during COVID, but not every company is ready to continue this trend in 2025. EA is forcing its employees to return to the office and locking most remote opportunities.
According to IGN, CEO Andrew Wilson sent an email to workers, saying that in-person work results in "a kinetic energy that fuels creativity, innovation, and connection, often resulting in unexpected breakthroughs that lead to incredible experiences for our players."
Hybrid work will now be defined as a "minimum of three days a week in your local office," and "offsite local roles" will be gradually phased out.
EA Entertainment president, Laura Miele, added that EA is moving from "a decentralized approach to a globally consistent, enterprise-wide work model." The changes will take time to be implemented, so workers have several months to prepare.
The company has introduced a new distance policy: employees who live within 30 miles/48 km from the office will transition to a hybrid work model, others will be considered remote unless their role is designated as on-site or hybrid.
As some sources told IGN, existing remote workers would have "exemptions" to RTO "sunset" in the next 3 to 24 months.
As you might expect, EA employees weren't happy with the news, especially those who would have to spend hours on commutes. People who live outside the 30-mile radius are worried about what would happen if they didn't move closer to the office.
To me, RTO seems more like a power play than an actual method to boost productivity. Or perhaps EA is trying to force some of its staff to quit and join the hundreds laid off to cut costs.
With this decision, EA joins Ubisoft, Activision Blizzard, Roblox, Rockstar, and many other studios that believe office work is better than staying remote.
Do you think they are right? Join our 80 Level Talent platform and our new Discord server, follow us on Instagram, Twitter, LinkedIn, Telegram, TikTok, and Threads, where we share breakdowns, the latest news, awesome artworks, and more.