On October 21, 2026, Electronic Arts told employees it is closing BioWare, the Edmonton studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. The next Mass Effect game, which was still in early development, is canceled. EA is also closing BioWare’s Edmonton workspace as part of a wider round of cuts across the company.
Nine days later, Bloomberg published a possible explanation. EA reportedly chose to fund a Star Wars shooter over Mass Effect after its $55 billion buyout left it carrying heavy debt. EA has not confirmed that. This article separates what EA has said from what has only been reported, and lists what is still unanswered.
The announcement at a glance
| Detail | What is known | Status |
|---|---|---|
| Date | October 21, 2026 | Confirmed by EA |
| Announced by | David Tinson (COO) and Cam Weber (Chief Studios Officer), in a letter to staff | Confirmed by EA |
| What closes | BioWare and its Edmonton workspace | Confirmed by EA |
| Canceled project | The next Mass Effect game, in early development | Confirmed by EA |
| Company-wide layoffs | About 400 jobs, roughly 3% of staff | Reported by Bloomberg |
| BioWare layoffs | About 50 people | Reported by Bloomberg. |
| Reason | Money was tight, and Star Wars won out over Mass Effect | Reported, not confirmed |
What EA said
EA’s letter to staff presents the closure as part of a company-wide reset around three priorities: strengthening its core franchises, reaching new platforms and markets, and building new ways for sports fans to engage. On BioWare specifically, the letter says a small team had been doing early work on Mass Effect and that EA chose not to continue, which meant closing the studio. EA called BioWare “a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre” and said the decision was not made lightly.
The same letter names what is staying: EA Sports, Apex Legends, Battlefield, the upcoming Marvel’s Iron Man game and the next Star Wars Jedi game. A Sims project code-named Lotus is paused, while its sibling, Project Evergreen, continues. The skate. team is being downsized. Respawn and DICE will work together on a new shooter. Bloomberg says it is likely a new Star Wars: Battlefront, and Variety, citing several sources, reports that Battlefront III is in active development.
BioWare’s own statement was shorter. It listed the studio’s games, from Baldur’s Gate to Anthem, thanked players for arguing over their choices and falling for its characters, and said the team’s focus now is on supporting each other.
EA says it will help affected employees look for other roles inside the company. It did not give a BioWare headcount. The letter also says EA will discuss the changes at its next Global Town Hall in November.
Why it reportedly happened
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier reported on October 30 that EA was not willing to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on both Mass Effect and a new Star Wars shooter. It picked Star Wars, which executives saw as the safer and more predictable bet, according to Game Developer’s summary of the report.
The money pressure traces back to the leveraged buyout. A group led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, along with Silver Lake and Affinity Partners, completed the $55 billion deal on August 4, 2026. Reporting cited by Game Developer puts the resulting debt at about $18 billion.
The timeline is hard to ignore. The buyout closed, and about 11 weeks later BioWare was gone. That is not proof of cause and effect, and EA’s letter never mentions debt. Still, a studio that had not shipped a hit in years and had no active project left was an easy line to cut.
Two other factors appear in the coverage:
- Sales. Dragon Age: The Veilguard launched on October 31, 2024. EA said it reached about 1.5 million players in its first quarter, nearly 50% below the company’s own expectations, even though reviews were generally positive.
- Internal politics. The same Bloomberg report says an executive shuffle sidelined Laura Miele, who had been a supporter of BioWare and Mass Effect.
There is also an awkward detail for EA. Roughly two years ago, it said it was stepping back from licensed games, and about 18 months ago it closed Cliffhanger Games, the studio working on a Black Panther title. Star Wars, Iron Man and Star Wars Jedi are all licensed properties, so that retreat was never complete.
BioWare’s run, in short
| Year | Milestone |
|---|---|
| 1995 | BioWare is founded in Edmonton |
| 1998 | Baldur’s Gate |
| 2003 | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic |
| 2007 | Mass Effect |
| 2008 | EA acquires BioWare |
| 2009 | Dragon Age: Origins |
| 2017 | Mass Effect: Andromeda |
| 2019 | Anthem |
| 2024 | Dragon Age: The Veilguard |
| 2026 | EA announces the closure |
Forbes described Andromeda, Anthem and The Veilguard as three expensive disappointments, with each missing fan expectations, financial expectations, or both. It also noted that several people associated with Mass Effect, including Casey Hudson, Mark Darrah and Mac Walters, left the studio years ago.
What happens to Mass Effect and Dragon Age
EA has not said. Tom’s Hardware points out that EA did not declare either series dead, and it did not mention BioWare’s released games at all. Both series have been under EA’s ownership since the 2008 acquisition, so a revival by another EA team is possible, though nothing has been announced.
Baldur’s Gate is a separate case. BioWare made the first two games under a Dungeons & Dragons license held by Wizards of the Coast, so the studio’s closure does not decide that series’ future.
For players, nothing in the announcement says existing games will be removed. It does not promise ongoing support either.
What we still don’t know
- Whether EA will bring back Mass Effect or Dragon Age with another studio, and when.
- How many BioWare employees lost their jobs and how many are being placed elsewhere in EA.
- Whether Bloomberg’s account of the Star Wars trade-off matches EA’s internal reasoning.
- How long EA will keep supporting BioWare’s released games.
Frequently asked questions
Is BioWare closing for good?
Yes. EA said it is closing the studio and its Edmonton workspace.
Is Mass Effect canceled?
The next Mass Effect game is canceled. It was in early development and never had a public title. EA has not said the franchise itself is over.
How many people lost their jobs?
Bloomberg’s source says about 400 across EA, including about 50 at BioWare. EA has not published its own figures.
Why did EA close BioWare?
EA says it is concentrating on larger priorities. Bloomberg reports that EA chose a Star Wars shooter over Mass Effect for cost and risk reasons.
Can I still play BioWare’s games?
EA’s announcement does not mention removing them. Check the storefront or EA app where you bought each game.
Useful resources
- EA’s letter to staff from David Tinson and Cam Weber
- BioWare’s farewell statement on X
- Bloomberg: EA to cut 400 jobs and shut down BioWare (may require a subscription)
- Bloomberg: why EA shut down BioWare and canceled Mass Effect (may require a subscription)
- Gematsu: full statement, staff letter and project list
- Game Developer: the Star Wars Battlefront report
- 80.lv: BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk on the closure
