EA Shuts Down BioWare and Cancels Next Mass Effect

Electronic Arts is moving to dissolve BioWare and its Edmonton studio following a recent communication to employees that also confirms the cancellation of early work on the next entry in the Mass Effect franchise. The decision marks the end for the 31-year-old studio, which developed numerous hits including Dragon Age, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, and Baldur's Gate.

A small team had been conducting early development on a new Mass Effect title, but EA decided not to move forward with this development. The project, first announced in November 2020 and teased the following month, will not see further progress. BioWare was acquired by EA in 2008, and the parent company itself transitioned to private ownership in August.

BioWare had recently focused on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, released in 2024. Early last year, EA reported that the title engaged approximately 1.5 million players during a quarter, which the company described as nearly 50% below its expectations. This performance may have influenced the decision to close the studio, though EA did not explicitly link the two events.

The company did not specify how many jobs were affected, noting only that impacted employees will receive support in exploring other opportunities within EA. Despite the studio closure, neither the Mass Effect nor the Dragon Age series was declared dead, though the company did not discuss the status of previously released titles.

EA's communication to staff outlined three key priorities: Deepen Our Core, Expand Our Reach, and Transform Our Business. The company is prioritizing efforts on Project Evergreen and has shifted its focus toward Battlefield 6, which it described as a great success, along with Apex Legends modes, Marvel's Iron Man, and the next Star Wars Jedi game.

Under the EA Sports heading, Project Gridiron is being developed as a social-first, open-world experience. Additionally, a Fight Night revival is currently in pre-production. These shifts indicate a redirection of resources toward specific franchises that align with the company's stated business transformation goals.

Industry trends have seen widespread job reductions, with Microsoft announcing 3,200 Xbox job cuts in July while citing low margins. While EA did not provide release dates for major titles, the company plans to discuss its direction and upcoming work with staff during a Global Town Hall scheduled for November.