EA Shuts Down BioWare: Mass Effect and Dragon Age Studio Closes

Did you ever think you'd see the day when BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, would close its doors? That day is here. EA is shutting down the legendary RPG developer, and it's a tough pill to swallow for anyone who grew up with those games.

The closure comes with layoffs. About 50 people are being let go at BioWare itself, and another 350 elsewhere at EA. All told, that's roughly 3% of the company's workforce. BioWare confirmed the news on X, saying, "There is nothing easy about writing these words." They thanked fans for all the support over the years, and honestly, it's a sad moment for the industry.

So why is this happening? According to a staff letter sent out on Wednesday and viewed by Bloomberg, EA COO David Tinson and Chief Studios Officer Cam Weber said the company took a "hard look" at its business over the last several months. That led to some projects getting canceled, including the next Mass Effect game—which was in early development at BioWare—and a planned Sims game codenamed Project Lotus. The resources from that Sims title will now go to something else codenamed Project Evergreen.

But it's not all bad news for EA's other franchises. Many of its released games will continue as expected. Full Circle will keep working on Skate, though that team is being downsized. Meanwhile, EA's sports games, Apex Legends, Battlefield, the next Star Wars Jedi game, and a new Iron Man game will all continue to be invested in. In the letter, Tinson and Weber wrote, "Across our portfolio, we're making deliberate choices to align talent and investments where we see the greatest opportunities for players and long-term growth."

This news comes one year after EA agreed to a $55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and two months after the company went private following the acquisition. The writing was on the wall: EA told investors in March that it planned to save some $700 million after the leveraged buyout saddled the company with billions in debt.

BioWare needs no introduction. Founded in February 1995, the Canadian studio is known for RPGs like Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect. But recent years haven't been kind—both 2019's Anthem and 2024's Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet expectations. Mass Effect 5 had been in development since at least February 2022, but that project is now dead, and so is BioWare.

What do you think about BioWare closing? Will you be picking up any of the games that are still on the way? Let us know in the comments.