EA Shutting Down RPG Dev BioWare, Next Mass Effect Game Cancelled

400 job reductions at EA overall

• by Liam Croft
• 10 hours prior

EA is shuttering the RPG studio BioWare.

The creator of Mass Effect and Dragon Age will close as EA eliminates “approximately” 400 positions within the organization, which will encompass about 50 at BioWare. Consequently, the forthcoming Mass Effect installment has been cancelled.

Earlier today, an announcement was circulated to EA personnel by chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber. In the correspondence, the company remarks it has “conducted a thorough evaluation of our operations”, leading to the cancellation of several initiatives.

The upcoming Mass Effect project, which was described as being “in the early stages” of development, is part of the layoffs.

A statement released on the EA website states: “We’ve opted not to proceed with this development, indicating we’re closing the studio and our Edmonton facility. BioWare is an iconic studio that significantly shaped the role-playing genre, and we do not arrive at this choice lightly.”

Initiatives that will progress include the sports titles, Apex Legends, the third Star Wars Jedi game, the Iron Man project, Battlefield, and purportedly a new Star Wars: Battlefront sequel.

A new chapter in The Sims has been scrapped, and the team developing Skate has been reduced.

In a message to its followers, BioWare declared on social media: “What generations of BioWare collaborated on is something to honor and remember. These games became tremendously more meaningful because you engaged with them, contemplated your choices, grew attached to the characters, and made these universes your own.”

“From all of us at BioWare, thank you for being the most significant aspect of our narrative.”

Established in 1995 in Alberta, Canada, BioWare gained recognition through the Baldur’s Gate and Neverwinter Nights franchises.

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