Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and ending early development on the next Mass Effect game, a project announced in 2020 and commonly referred to as Mass Effect 5. The decision is part of a wider round of job cuts at EA.
In a staff memo, EA chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber said the company had reviewed its business and would concentrate on established successes, including Apex Legends, Battlefield and sports franchises such as Madden. Bloomberg reports that about 400 EA employees will lose their jobs, including approximately 50 BioWare staff.
BioWare’s closure also includes its Edmonton workspace. The studio confirmed publicly that it is ending after more than three decades, while development on the next Mass Effect project will not continue.
EA shifts attention to established franchises
EA says several other projects remain active. Respawn is continuing work on a new Star Wars Jedi title and Marvel’s Iron Man, while Respawn and DICE are co-developing what appears to be a new Star Wars Battlefront game.
Development has been paused on the Sims project codenamed Project Lotus. EA plans to redirect its effort towards another Sims project, codenamed Project Evergreen.
The company described Battlefield 6 as a major success and said it intends to invest heavily in Apex Legends over the next few years. Planned work includes new multiplayer modes and other experiences designed to expand that universe.
BioWare’s long role-playing legacy
Founded in 1995, BioWare made its name with influential role-playing games including the original Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. EA acquired the studio in 2007, after which BioWare delivered major releases across the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series.
The cancellation of the new science-fiction game follows a long period in early development. BioWare’s most recent major release, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, did not meet sales expectations. The latest original Mass Effect game was 2017’s Mass Effect: Andromeda, which received a mixed response from critics and players.
In 2021, EA released Mass Effect Legendary Edition, a remastered collection containing the first three games in the series. For readers following the wider arcade and gaming news, BioWare’s closure is another reminder of how quickly long-running game brands can change direction.
Cost-cutting follows EA’s private buyout
EA was acquired and taken private in August through an all-cash deal involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners and Silver Lake. The transaction was valued at $55 billion and left EA with approximately $18 billion in debt.
Following the buyout, EA said it would pursue measures aimed at reducing annual costs by $700 million. About $170 million of that plan was linked to organisational efficiencies, which are now contributing to widespread redundancies. EA is estimated to have already cut about 970 jobs during the previous two years.
BioWare’s closure marks the end of a studio that helped shape modern computer role-playing games. Its catalogue remains available across modern platforms, while the next chapter of Mass Effect will not be made by the team that created the original trilogy.
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