BioWare Studio Shut Down By EA
The developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age is closing after 31 years, and the next Mass Effect game is canceled.
By Min-jun Kim ·
Electronic Arts (EA) is closing BioWare and its Edmonton location, a decision confirmed in a recent internal letter to staff. This move ends the 31-year history of a developer known for creating role-playing games like Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The company has also halted early development on the next Mass Effect game.
EA has characterized BioWare as a legendary studio. However, the company has decided not to move forward with the project, which was being handled by a small group of employees. While EA is ending the studio, it has not declared the Mass Effect or Dragon Age series dead. The company is also offering to help affected workers find other roles within EA, though it has not provided a headcount of those impacted.
The history of BioWare at EA begins with its acquisition in 2008. Following this, EA itself went private in August of this year. BioWare's recent activity has been limited, with the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024 serving as its last major project. Prior to that, the studio released the Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster in 2021, which updated the original trilogy for modern platforms.
The announcement follows a period of mixed results for the studio. According to EA, Dragon Age: The Veilguard engaged about 1.5 million players during a single quarter. This figure was down nearly 50% from what the company had projected. Around that time, BioWare general manager Gary McKay noted that only a core team was working on the next Mass Effect game, as other colleagues were being assigned to other teams within EA.
The closure aligns with a broader trend of job reductions across the gaming industry. For example, Microsoft announced 3,200 Xbox job cuts in July, a decision it attributed to low margins. The shuttering of BioWare is a significant step, as it marks the end of an organization with a long list of released titles.
EA is redirecting its resources to other areas of its business. The company has identified three priorities: Deepen Our Core, Expand Our Reach, and Transform Our Business. This includes a focus on Battlefield 6, which is described as a great success, as well as Apex Legends modes, Marvel's Iron Man, and the next Star Wars Jedi game. Under EA Sports, a Fight Night revival is in pre-production, and The Sims will prioritize efforts on 'Project Evergreen.'
EA has not announced any release dates for its planned titles. The company intends to discuss its direction and the work ahead with staff at its Global Town Hall in November. For now, the focus remains on its core franchises as it moves to refocus on what has been working.
Source: Tom's Hardware
