Electronic Arts announced that they are shutting down BioWare and has canceled the next Mass Effect game. The shuttering of BioWare is part of a larger wave of layoffs at Electronic Arts in which about 400 people just lost their jobs.
Official statements about the studio closure were made by both Electronic Arts and BioWare. The statement from Electronic Arts amounts to nothing more than a small paragraph amidst a longer article talking about "Building EA's Next Chapter."
As we focus on these larger opportunities, we've had a small team at BioWare working on early-development for Mass Effect. We've made the decision not to move forward with this development, which means we’re closing the studio and our Edmonton workspace. BioWare is a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre, and we do not take this decision lightly.
For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio. It has been a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life.
Baldur’s Gate. Neverwinter Nights. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Dragon Age. Mass Effect. Anthem.
Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.
There is nothing easy about writing those words. Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition.
What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember. These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own.
From all of us at BioWare, thank you for being the most meaningful part of our story.
Baldur’s Gate. Neverwinter Nights. Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Dragon Age. Mass Effect. Anthem.
Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.
There is nothing easy about writing those words. Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition.
What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember. These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own.
From all of us at BioWare, thank you for being the most meaningful part of our story.
Electronic Arts says that they will continue to invest in their sports titles, games such as Apex Legends, and various action-adventure titles. Those include the next Star Wars Jedi title, a Marvel's Iron Man game, and Battlefield. The teams at both Respawn and DICE are also said to be collaborating on a new project, which is rumored to be a new Star Wars: Battlefront game.
Bloomberg shares that a letter was sent internally to all EA staff today about other changes. The company has canceled a planned game in The Sims franchise that was codenamed Project Lotus. They are instead prioritizing a different title, currently codenamed Project Evergreen. That letter also says that development on skate will continue, but the team behind it will be downsized.
BioWare was founded in 1995 and acquired by Electronic Arts in 2007. The studio developed some of the best and most beloved Western RPGs ever, including Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, the Mass Effect titles, and Dragon Age. According to various social media posts, many employees only found out about the studio's closure after the announcement was sent to the public.
