BioWare to close as EA ends work on next Mass Effect

BioWare is closing and ending early development on its next Mass Effect project, the studio and its parent company Electronic Arts said Wednesday, as EA reshapes its game lineup and plans company-wide job cuts. In a farewell statement, BioWare said the studio was closing after more than 30 years. The team had been working on the next Mass Effect game in its early stages, but EA executives Cam Weber and David Tinson said in a staff memo that the company had decided not to proceed. EA also said it would close BioWare’s Edmonton workspace. The closure ends BioWare’s work as a studio on series including Mass Effect and Dragon Age, as well as games such as Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. EA acquired BioWare in 2007. The studio’s most recent game was Dragon Age: The Veilguard, released in 2024. Bloomberg, citing a person familiar with EA’s plans, reported that the company expects to cut about 400 jobs, roughly 3% of its workforce, including around 50 at BioWare. EA did not provide a public tally in the reported statements. The executives said EA would help affected employees explore other roles within the company. The company’s memo...