BioWare, the Canadian developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect has been halted, EA said. Bloomberg first reported the studio closure, and EA confirmed the decision in a memo to staff from Cam Weber and David Tinson.
EA said the move is part of a broader studios restructuring that will cut roughly 3 percent of its global workforce. The company last reported about 14,500 employees, which equates to around 400 roles affected overall, with roughly 50 positions tied to BioWare, according to reporting cited by multiple outlets.
Weber and Tinson framed the changes as a concentration of teams, technology, and investment behind three strategic priorities, which they named as deepening core franchises, expanding reach, and transforming the business. They said the choices allow EA to focus resources where they expect the greatest long term growth and to deliver fewer simultaneous large scale action adventure projects.
The memo noted that while a small team had been working on Mass Effect in early development, EA has decided not to proceed and will close BioWare’s Edmonton workspace. The company said it will support impacted employees and discuss opportunities within EA, while calling BioWare “a legendary studio that helped define the role playing genre.”
Industry Fallout, Ongoing Projects, And Studio Legacy
Industry reporting and commentary placed the closure in the context of recent commercial strains and corporate change. Bloomberg and investigative reporting by others traced BioWare’s troubles to underperforming projects, and noted prior layoffs tied to Dragon Age The Veilguard sales falling short of EA projections. A profile by Jason Schreier was cited for that context.
EA’s public plan leaves many major franchises and projects intact. The company said it will keep investing in Apex Legends, future Battlefield titles, and two large action adventure launches currently described as Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game. Variety and other outlets reported that Respawn and DICE will collaborate on a project widely identified as Star Wars Battlefront 3.
EA’s recent shift to private ownership in a leveraged buyout was also cited by reporters as part of the backdrop to the restructuring. The deal was backed by the Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, sources said. EA executives described the industry’s changing landscape and rising competition as drivers for their portfolio decisions.
Fans and industry figures reacted to the news. BioWare posted a message reflecting on more than 30 years of games and thanking players. Mike Gamble, an executive producer who had celebrated ongoing Mass Effect development as recently as last year, wrote that fan support had meant everything to him during his 17 years at the studio.
