Last updated on October 22, 2026
BioWare is shutting down after more than 30 years of unforgettable stories
BioWare is shutting down after more than three decades of history, closing one of the most iconic chapters in video games. The Canadian studio behind so many story-driven games will close its doors, and with it goes the new Mass Effect project, which is now cancelled for good.
A farewell letter
In a message posted on social media, the BioWare team said the studio was always more than a studio to them. Their priority right now is supporting their talented colleagues through the transition.
The closure is part of a wider round of layoffs at Electronic Arts. The publisher is cutting about 400 jobs, roughly 3% of its workforce, and around 50 of them were at BioWare.
The timing stands out. The decision comes less than three months after the consortium made up of PIF, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners completed its acquisition of EA. The restructuring is also tied to Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare’s most recent game, which reportedly missed EA’s sales targets.
What’s next for Electronic Arts?
In an internal note, EA executives David Tinson and Cam Weber said the company had reviewed every project in its pipeline. Besides the new Mass Effect, they cancelled a Sims project codenamed Project Lotus.
EA says it will focus on Apex Legends, Battlefield, the next Star Wars Jedi game, an Iron Man game and skate. The skate team will also face staff reductions.
For fans of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, it is hard to read this as anything but the end of an era.
I’m passionate about books and video games. These two great passions represent, for me, a boundless universe where I can “escape” from reality whenever I need or want to. There are so many stories, worlds, and landscapes where I can instantly teleport that I don’t think a whole lifetime would be enough to explore them all (though it would be my greatest dream to be able to).
