EA shuts down BioWare, ending the studio's 31-year run

Electronic Arts has officially closed BioWare, bringing an end to the studio's 31-year history as a major game developer. The news was confirmed in a recent letter to employees, which also revealed that early development work on the next installment of the Mass Effect series has been canceled. This decision marks the close of a chapter for one of the most recognizable names in gaming, which was acquired by EA in 2008.

The studio was well known for creating popular franchises including Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, and Baldur’s Gate. In the letter, EA referred to BioWare as a legendary studio. While the company noted that a small team had been working on the next Mass Effect game, it decided not to move forward with that specific project. The next game in the series was originally announced in November 2020 and featured a teaser trailer that December. Since then, the studio released Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024, following the 2021 release of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster.

EA is now directing its attention to three main strategic priorities: Deepen Our Core, Expand Our Reach, and Transform Our Business. The company is focusing its resources on Battlefield 6, which it describes as a great success, along with Apex Legends modes, Marvel’s Iron Man, and the upcoming Star Wars Jedi game. Under the EA Sports umbrella, the company is developing Project Gridiron, a social-first open-world American football experience. It is also reviving the Fight Night franchise, which is currently in pre-production. The Sims remains a priority, with the company planning to focus efforts on Project Evergreen.

Employees affected by the closure will be supported in exploring other opportunities within EA. The company did not provide a specific headcount for those being laid off, nor did it declare the Mass Effect or Dragon Age series dead. The performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard may have influenced this decision, as it engaged about 1.5 million players during the quarter, a figure that was down nearly 50% from the company's expectations. BioWare general manager Gary McKay previously noted that only a core team was working on the next Mass Effect game and did not require support from the full studio.

This move fits into a broader trend of job cuts across the industry, such as Microsoft's announcement of 3,200 Xbox job cuts in July due to low margins. EA has not revealed specific dates for its major upcoming titles. The company plans to discuss its direction and future work with staff at a Global Town Hall in November. For now, the strategy appears to be a refocus on core franchises that have been performing well, while dropping the studio that has defined a significant part of gaming history.