Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and cancelling development of the next Mass Effect game. The decision marks the end of a developer founded in 1995 that spent more than three decades producing some of the most influential role-playing games in the industry.
In a farewell message published on October 21, BioWare confirmed the studio's closure and the end of early development on the next Mass Effect project. The announcement comes amid a broader restructuring at EA, which is cutting approximately 400 jobs across the company.
🔒BioWare Closes After More Than 30 Years
BioWare established its reputation with RPGs such as Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic before building two of its most recognizable franchises with Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The studio's farewell message thanked players who had experienced its games, made difficult decisions throughout its stories and formed connections with its characters. Its closure brings an end to a developer whose work helped shape the modern RPG genre.
❌The Next Mass Effect Game Is Cancelled
The next Mass Effect game was announced in 2020, with BioWare releasing occasional teasers in the years that followed. However, the project remained in early development, and EA has now decided to cancel it. The decision follows a difficult period for the studio. BioWare released Anthem in 2019 and Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024, while EA reduced the developer's workforce in 2025 and shifted its remaining team toward the next Mass Effect. EA has not announced plans to transfer the project to another developer, leaving the future of the franchise without a confirmed new game in development.
👎EA Cuts 400 Jobs as Part of a Broader Restructuring
BioWare's closure is part of a wider restructuring at Electronic Arts that will eliminate approximately 400 positions, representing around 3% of the company's workforce. Roughly 50 employees at BioWare are expected to be affected. EA plans to concentrate its resources on fewer, larger projects and prioritize franchises it considers to offer stronger growth opportunities. Its ongoing investments include Battlefield, Apex Legends, EA SPORTS, the next Star Wars Jedi game and Marvel's Iron Man. The restructuring follows EA's $55 billion acquisition by an investor consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, announced two months earlier.