EA Shuts Down BioWare After 31 Years, Cancels Early Mass Effect Development
The publisher is dissolving the iconic studio to pivot toward core franchises like Battlefield and Iron Man, ending the production of a new sci-fi entry.
By Anastasia Volkova ·
Electronic Arts has officially ended the 31-year run of BioWare, the legendary developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, while simultaneously canceling early work on the next installment in the sci-fi series.
The closure was confirmed in a letter sent to employees, revealing that the company is consolidating its resources around three strategic pillars: deepening its core franchises, expanding its reach, and transforming its overall business model. In a significant shift in focus, EA is prioritizing upcoming titles such as Battlefield 6, Marvel’s Iron Man, and a revival of the Fight Night boxing franchise. The decision marks the end of an era for the studio, which was acquired by EA in 2008 and went private with its parent company in August.
The next Mass Effect game, which was first teased in late 2020 following the release of the Legendary Edition remaster, had entered the early development phase with a small team. However, EA stated that it made the difficult decision not to move forward with that specific project. While the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series have not been declared dead, the studio that created them is being closed. The company noted that the next Star Wars Jedi game and Apex Legends modes are also part of its current priority list, alongside the social-first open-world football title known as Project Gridiron.
Reactions to the news highlight a long-standing tension between the studio’s output and its corporate ownership. EA recently disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard engaged approximately 1.5 million players during its launch quarter, a figure that fell nearly 50% short of internal expectations. Although the company did not explicitly link this performance to the closure, the underperformance may have contributed to the strategic reassessment. Previously, BioWare general manager Gary McKay indicated that only a core team was working on the new Mass Effect game, with other staff members already being matched with other EA teams.
Affected employees will be supported in exploring new opportunities within the broader EA organization, though the company has not yet released specific job counts. EA plans to discuss its future direction and the work ahead with staff at a Global Town Hall in November. The move aligns with a broader industry trend of cost-cutting and consolidation, similar to recent job cuts at Microsoft’s Xbox division, as major publishers double down on their most proven intellectual properties to ensure financial stability.
Source: Tom's Hardware
