EA Shuts Down BioWare, Cancels Next Mass Effect and Cuts About 400 Jobs
Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and its Edmonton office, ending the next Mass Effect game as part of a studios restructuring that cuts roughly 3% of staff.
What EA announced
Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, the studio behind Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. The news came in a Wednesday memo to staff from Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO. The letter was also published on EA's website.
EA said it had decided not to move forward with development of a new Mass Effect game, which meant closing the studio and its Edmonton office. "BioWare is a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre, and we do not take this decision lightly," the executives wrote.
Push Square describes the cancelled Mass Effect as being in "early" development. PC Gamer notes the game was first teased in 2020, and that in 2025 BioWare said a "core team" was working on it after earlier layoffs.
What about Dragon Age and other BioWare games?
The sources do not say what happens to the Dragon Age or Mass Effect franchises, or whether EA plans to continue them elsewhere. They also do not address support for existing BioWare games. The only confirmed point is that the studio is closing and the next Mass Effect is not going ahead.
BioWare posted a statement on social media saying "what generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember." It thanked players for debating choices and making the worlds their own.
Battlefront 3 and the rest of EA's slate
Weber and Tinson said EA will bring its Respawn and DICE studios together on "a future project" and did not name it. Variety reports that multiple sources confirmed it is Star Wars: Battlefront 3 for Lucasfilm. EA itself has not named the game in the material provided.
According to the memo, EA will:
- Keep investing in Battlefield after what it called the "great success" of Battlefield 6.
- Invest heavily in Apex Legends, including new multiplayer modes.
- Deliver Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game.
- Reveal two new EA Sports projects in coming months, including "Project Gridiron," and develop a new Fight Night.
- Prioritize "Project Evergreen" for The Sims and shrink the Skate team.
Sources differ on The Sims. Variety says EA is pausing "Project Lotus," while Push Square says a new Sims instalment was cancelled.
Background
The restructuring is EA's first major move since its $55 billion all-cash take-private deal closed on Aug. 4. The buyers were Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. Push Square says it is not confirmed whether the new owners influenced the decision.
PC Gamer reports that employees had doubted the studio's future, with one saying last year it felt like "a matter of time."
What happens next
EA has said the Edmonton office will close, but the sources give no timeline for the closures or details on severance. Watch for the EA Sports reveals promised in the next few months and any official word on the Respawn and DICE project. Any statement on Dragon Age or the Mass Effect brand would also be worth watching.
Also read Cyberpunk 2077 Update Adds Dual-Wielding, Cross-Platform Mods and Edgerunners Quest
Quick answers
Is the next Mass Effect game cancelled?
Yes. EA said it decided not to move forward with the development, which is why BioWare is closing.
How many jobs is EA cutting?
About 400, or roughly 3% of the 14,500 employees EA last reported. Push Square says around 50 of those are at BioWare.
Is Star Wars: Battlefront 3 confirmed?
Not by name. EA only mentioned a Respawn and DICE collaboration; Variety says multiple sources identified it as Battlefront 3.
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