Electronic Arts has announced the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect game. The news has also prompted a painful response from a developer still working on Star Wars: The Old Republic, the MMO BioWare helped create more than a decade ago.
BioWare launched Star Wars: The Old Republic in 2011. Set in the same general period as Knights of the Old Republic, it marked the studio’s first major attempt at a large-scale multiplayer game. Although the MMORPG had shortcomings, its writing and voice performances earned praise from many players.
The game is still operating today. In 2023, EA moved BioWare off of developing Old Republic and assigned future updates to Broadsword, the studio responsible for Ultima Online. Its continuing operation means the MMO remains an active part of BioWare’s legacy despite the studio’s closure.
BioWare’s farewell message was published on October 21, 2026.
However, the public message did not refer to The Old Republic. Caitlin Sullivan Kelly, the MMO’s lead writer, appeared disappointed by the omission.
“No mention of the game that’s been going for almost fifteen years,” posted Kelly on Twitter. She wrote that the game had supported BioWare and its projects with “income and manpower and time sometimes to our own detriment,” adding that the omission was “heartbreaking.”
Kelly previously worked at BioWare before moving to Broadsword to continue supporting the Star Wars MMO. Responding to a fan who was grieving the studio’s fate, she also said Dragon Age: Origins was the game that “made me want to be a game dev.”
Kelly explained that her connection to the MMO began as a player. “I started playing Star Wars: The Old Republic because it was a BioWare game,” said Kelly. She added that it was difficult to see a studio loved by many of its staff, even before they joined it, leave the game out of its history.
The reaction highlights how long-running online games can remain central to a studio’s identity even when responsibility shifts elsewhere. Readers can find more gaming and industry coverage in RETROCADE’s Arcade Blog, while Australian players exploring dedicated gaming setups can browse the Arcade Machine Buying Guide and available arcade machines.
Meanwhile, Casey Hudson, director of Knights of the Old Republic and co-creator of Mass Effect, is developing a spiritual successor to the former series. The project is likely still several years from release.
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