Big news from the Apex Legends world that’s got everyone talking: Heather Woodward, the writer behind the brand-new Legend Sparrow, was laid off just one day after Sparrow’s official reveal. It’s a surprising and bittersweet moment, especially since Sparrow is a character she’s been crafting for over a year.
On April 30, Electronic Arts announced layoffs affecting between 300 and 400 employees across multiple studios. Respawn Entertainment, the studio behind Apex Legends, cut about 100 positions. This wave of layoffs hit Woodward right after the Season 25 launch trailer dropped, introducing Sparrow to the community.
Heather shared her feelings on Blue Sky: “My firstborn is finally here. I’ve been working on this sweet ragazzo for well over a year.” But then, just a day later, she revealed, “Well, this is awkward but… I was just mass-downsized at Respawn.” Despite the uncompromising news, she expressed gratitude for her time with Apex, calling it her favorite job ever and promising to keep talking about Sparrow for weeks to come.
Well, this is awkward but… I was just mass-downsized at Respawn. These things happen and my time with Apex has been a top to bottom blast, my favorite job I’ve ever had. It’s been a true joy to write Sparrow, I’ll continue to be insufferable about him for weeks to come. #apexlegends #apexsparrow
— Heather Woodward (@heatherwoodward.bsky.social) 2025-04-29T18:03:58.932Z
Adding a layer of irony, Woodward received a promotional email for Sparrow the very day she was let go. She commented on the situation with a bit of humor: “I mean it’s objectively pretty funny to get a promo email for the character I wrote the day I’m let go.”
I mean it’s objectively pretty funny to get a promo email for the character I wrote the day I’m let go#apexlegends #apexlegendssparrow #apexsparrow #respawnentertainment #ea
— Heather Woodward (@heatherwoodward.bsky.social) 2025-04-29T20:19:59.371Z
