EA ends the run for BioWare, home of Mass Effect and Dragon Age

Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, bringing a 31-year run to a sudden end.

The decision was announced in a letter to employees this week. EA is also closing its Edmonton studio. A small team was working on early development for the next Mass Effect, but that work has been canceled. The studio is famous for creating the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. It also made Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Neverwinter Nights, and Baldur’s Gate. EA acquired BioWare in 2008. The company went private in August. The next Mass Effect game was first announced in November 2020. An official trailer appeared in December of that year. The Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster came out in 2021. The studio has been relatively quiet since then, except for the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024.

EA described BioWare as a legendary studio. However, the company decided not to move forward with the current development. The letter highlighted three new priorities for the publisher. These are to deepen the core, expand reach, and transform the business. Battlefield 6 is being called a great success. EA is focusing on Apex Legends modes, Marvel’s Iron Man, and the next Star Wars Jedi game. A new American football project called Project Gridiron is moving forward. It is described as a social-first, open-world experience. A revival of the Fight Night series is also in pre-production. The company is also prioritizing efforts on Project Evergreen for The Sims.

Affected employees will be supported in exploring other roles within EA. The company did not provide a specific number of jobs cut. Neither the Mass Effect nor Dragon Age series was officially declared dead. The letter did not mention any of BioWare’s previously released games. The reception of Dragon Age: The Veilguard may have played a role in this decision. EA noted that the game engaged about 1.5 million players during the quarter. This figure was down nearly 50 percent from company expectations. BioWare general manager Gary McKay said earlier that only a core team was working on the next Mass Effect. He noted that the project did not require support from the full studio. Other colleagues were matched with different teams at EA.

This move fits a broader trend in the gaming industry. Job cuts have become common as companies seek efficiency. Microsoft announced 3,200 Xbox job cuts in July. That decision was attributed to low margins. EA has not revealed specific dates for its upcoming major titles. The company plans to discuss its future direction with staff at a global town hall in November. For now, EA is doubling down on its core franchises. It is dropping the studio to refocus on what has been working for it.

Players and fans will now wait to see how EA handles its remaining properties. The closure marks a significant shift for one of the most recognized names in role-playing games. The studio’s legacy remains, but its future under EA is now over.