Electronic Arts says it is shutting down BioWare and canceling the next Mass Effect game amid broader layoffs.
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Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare after more than three decades, and the next entry in the Mass Effect franchise has been canceled, according to a closure announcement shared by the studio on social media Wednesday.
The studio said, “What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember,” adding, “These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with characters, and made these worlds your own.”
EA’s decision comes as part of a larger round of layoffs reported to total 400 jobs, including about 50 positions at BioWare. Representatives for EA did not immediately respond to a message seeking comment on the layoffs.
BioWare, which is based in Canada, was founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007. The studio is credited with building its reputation on immersive role-playing games, including “Baldur’s Gate,” “Dragon Age,” “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic” and “Mass Effect.”
The next Mass Effect game, described as the fifth since 2007, was in development before BioWare announced its shutdown. The franchise’s most recent main entries include “Mass Effect: Andromeda” (2017) and “Dragon Age: The Veilguard” (2024).
EA also recently completed the closure of its $55 billion business sale to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, investment firm Silver Lake Partners and Affinity Partners, which is run by President Donald Trump’s son-in-law Jared Kushner. In the meantime, BioWare’s earlier attempt to branch out into multiplayer shooters included “Anthem” (2019).
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