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Technology

EA shuts down BioWare and cancels next Mass Effect amid 400 layoffs

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, cancelling its early-stage next Mass Effect game and cutting around 400 jobs as it narrows its slate to proven franchises.

By Sarah Whitfield · · 1 min read

Stylised editorial illustration of a darkened game-studio desk with a glowing blue-green nebula haze and the silhouette of a sci-fi helmeted figure
Illustration: Flip News (AI-generated)

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the Edmonton studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and cancelling an early-stage next Mass Effect project, the company told staff in an email on Wednesday.

Around 400 jobs are being cut across EA — about 3% of its workforce, including roughly 50 at BioWare, Bloomberg reported. The memo from chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber said executives had “taken a hard look at our business” and would focus on proven hits: Apex Legends, Battlefield and sports games like Madden (Polygon).

BioWare confirmed the news on its official social channels: “For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio… Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.”

Founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007, BioWare built Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem (VGC). Its final game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), missed EA’s sales expectations (Geo TV).

EA said it would keep developing Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi, pair Respawn and DICE on a future Battlefront project, pause the Sims title Project Lotus in favour of Project Evergreen, and shrink the team behind skate. to a smaller studio (GameSpot). Affected staff will be helped to explore other roles within EA. The shake-up follows EA’s $55bn take-private deal led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, which closed in August (Reuters).

Sources:

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