The EA CEO bonus reached nearly £29.1 million in stock awards and other compensation for the 2026 financial year, shortly after Electronic Arts cut jobs at every studio involved with Battlefield 6. For the developers affected, the timing offers a fairly blunt lesson in who gets rewarded when a major game succeeds.
Chief executive Andrew Wilson received $38,649,984 (£29,075,030) through stock awards, non-equity incentive plan compensation and “all other compensation,” according to EA’s 10-K filing. That total does not include his $1.3 million (£977,954) base salary.
Wilson’s equivalent awards and bonuses in 2025 amounted to $30,529,835 (£22,966,526). His 2026 package therefore increased by $8,120,149 (£6,108,567).
Why the Battlefield 6 layoffs stand out
In March 2026, EA laid off an undisclosed number of employees across DICE, Ripple Effect, Criterion Games and Motive Studio, the four studios behind Battlefield 6.
The company said the cuts were intended to “better align our teams around what matters most to our community.” That explanation sat awkwardly beside the game’s commercial performance. Battlefield 6 surpassed Call of Duty to become the best-selling game of 2025 in the United States.
Although its popularity declined after launch, the shooter still exceeded EA’s expectations. The financial report said Battlefield 6 met “all milestones for a high-quality launch,” citing positive reviews, stable services and gameplay. It also said interim targets connected to future releases had been achieved.
Those results appear to have contributed to the executive awards. The people who built the game, however, did not all share in the longer-term security created by its success. Corporate alignment can be a remarkably flexible concept.
Other EA executives also received major awards
Wilson was not the only senior executive to receive an eight-figure package. Chief financial officer Stuart Canfield was awarded $11.3 million, while EA president Laura Miele received $13.7 million.
EA’s filing highlighted performance beyond Battlefield, pointing to EA Sports FC, Apex Legends and Skate as important parts of the company’s achievements during the 2026 financial year.
The company also credited its generative artificial intelligence plans with delivering goals related to “transformation, expansion, and efficiency.” That work included strategic AI partnerships and the launch of a GenAI investment framework.
Efficiency is a familiar theme in the games industry, where restructuring and job cuts have continued even when publishers report strong sales or profits. EA is not alone. Take-Two Interactive and other major companies have also reduced staff while remaining financially successful.
For employees, the emotional strain is not difficult to understand. A successful release may strengthen a company’s results and lift executive compensation, yet still provide little protection for the teams responsible for getting it out the door.
EA could soon stop disclosing executive pay
The figures may also be among the final public details of Wilson’s compensation. A proposed Saudi acquisition of EA has received approval from the European Union. If the transaction is completed, the publisher will become a private company and will no longer have the same obligation to release public financial reports.
Wilson is expected to remain chief executive after the buyout. He has held the role since 2013, overseeing EA through the growth of its sports business, the continued success of Apex Legends and the latest attempt to restore Battlefield’s position among the largest shooter franchises.
The filing ultimately presents two sharply different outcomes from the same period. Battlefield 6 delivered the launch quality, reviews, stability and sales EA wanted. Senior leaders received substantial rewards, led by Wilson’s increased package. Meanwhile, an undisclosed number of workers across the game’s development teams lost their jobs.
That contrast is bigger than one publisher or one executive. It reflects a wider industry in which the people making successful games can remain vulnerable even when those games meet every milestone placed in front of them.
