EA Shuts Down BioWare, Ending Work on Next Mass Effect

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, bringing an end to the studio's 31-year history of creating role-playing games. The closure also brings an immediate stop to preliminary work on the next installment of the Mass Effect series.

In a letter to employees, EA confirmed it has decided not to proceed with early development on the next Mass Effect title. The company stated that it had a small team focused on this project but chose not to move forward with that development. While EA did not declare the Mass Effect or Dragon Age franchises dead, the studio's closure halts any in-house work on them for the foreseeable future. EA did not provide a count for how many employees are affected, though it said those impacted would be assisted in finding other opportunities within the company.

BioWare was acquired by EA in 2008. The next Mass Effect game was first announced in November 2020. Since then, the studio has been relatively quiet, with its most recent release being Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024. Early in 2025, EA described Veilguard's performance as engaging about 1.5 million players during the quarter, a figure that was down nearly 50% from the company's expectations. EA did not state whether this reception contributed to its decision.

The closure of BioWare aligns with a broader corporate strategy articulated by EA, which is prioritizing its core franchises and other projects. The company's stated objectives are to deepen its core, expand its reach, and transform its business. In line with this, EA is focusing on titles such as Battlefield, Marvel's Iron Man, and a revival of the Fight Night series.

EA is also advancing other projects, including a social-first, open-world experience from its American football team known as Project Gridiron, which falls under the EA Sports heading. The company also intends to prioritize efforts on Project Evergreen for The Sims. EA plans to discuss its direction and the work ahead with staff at its Global Town Hall in November.