BioWare Shuts Down: Devs React to EA Closure

Did you hear the news? EA has shut down BioWare, canceled the next Mass Effect, and left fans and developers reeling. It's a sad day for the industry, and tributes are pouring in from some of the biggest names in gaming.

Michael Gamble, a 17-year BioWare veteran, shared the studio's announcement, saying, "Your support has meant everything to me over the past 17 years at BioWare." Josh Deane, new head of Bungie, replied, "Thank you and to everyone at Bioware who have built worlds that have been such an important part of our lives." He added that the studio is "magical and an existential part of my favorite gaming memories."

CD Projekt Red veteran Paweł Sasko, known for his work on Cyberpunk 2077 and The Witcher, credited BioWare with shaping his career. "Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 shaped my imagination and the desire to create games. I would have never been here without BioWare igniting the fire in my heart," he said. CDPR co-CEO Michał Nowakowski also shared memories of the studio's early support, from localizing Baldur's Gate to lending their engine for The Witcher 1. "Very sad for the people affected, but also sad to see a legendary brand go down," he said.

Other industry figures chimed in. InXile's Brian Fargo remembered seeing promise in BioWare's early days, while Mortal Kombat's Ed Boon simply said, "They made some amazing games." Remedy's Thomas Puha highlighted a bigger issue: "The growing problem for large publishers is that smaller AAA games won't bring enough money so can't take the risk on them, but not doing original games? We need those, need new franchises."

Del Walker, an artist on The Last of Us Part 2 Remastered, called the closure "the result of about 15 years of problems piling up," citing commercial failures and mismanagement. Emma Kidwell, a veteran games writer, didn't mince words: "A massive fucking failure on EA's part. What a waste of skill and institutional knowledge. Mass Effect means so much to me personally, I wouldn't be a dev if I never played the trilogy."

Former BioWare devs, many now at North Mist Studios, urged support: "Find them, support them. Like, follow, comment and help us prove there is still support for the types of games we make!" One current EA contractor, Jarrett Poole, said seeing coworkers let go has been "devastating." Meanwhile, EA says "we should be proud" to be "the number one publisher in Western HD gaming."

What do you think about BioWare's closure? Will you be picking up the next Mass Effect if it ever happens? Let us know in the comments.