EA closes BioWare after 30 years, cancels next Mass Effect, as it cuts about 400 jobs

BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights, said it is closing. In a statement on social media, it also said early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending. The studio wrote that its focus now is on its team and on supporting one another through the transition.

The wider job cuts come from Bloomberg, not from EA's public statements. Bloomberg reports EA will cut about 400 jobs, roughly 3% of its staff, citing a person familiar with the company's plans. Around 50 of those are at BioWare. Game Developer describes those 50 as the studio's remaining staff, working on the new Mass Effect game.

Bloomberg also reports on a staff letter from EA chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber. The letter says EA took a hard look at its business over the past several months. According to the reports, it cancels a planned Sims game code-named Project Lotus and prioritizes another project, code-named Project Evergreen. Game Developer says Respawn and DICE are set to collaborate on a new game that is "likely" another Star Wars: Battlefront entry.

The letter reportedly says EA will keep working on Apex Legends, Battlefield, the next Star Wars Jedi game and a new Iron Man game. It will continue developing skate, but with a downsized team. The sources agree on the skate cut, though Game Developer frames it as resources being diverted from Full Circle Studios.

The closure follows EA's acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, which GamesIndustry.biz says completed on August 4. Bloomberg, as relayed by GamesIndustry.biz, says Dragon Age: The Veilguard missed sales expectations, which led EA to gut the studio last year. EA has not been quoted in these sources on the specifics of the cuts beyond the staff letter as reported. Developers affected by the project changes should watch for official EA announcements on individual teams.