EA shuts down BioWare, cancels next Mass Effect

Electronic Arts announced that it is closing its 30‑year‑old studio, BioWare, and will lay off about 400 employees. The company has also decided to cancel the next Mass Effect game, with reports disagreeing on whether it was in early work on a Mass Effect 4 or a Mass Effect 5 title. The shutdown and the cancellation represent a major shift for a studio that has produced the hit Mass Effect and Dragon Age series.

Studio closure and project cancellation

The decision follows Electronic Arts’ recent $55 billion buyout by Saudi Arabia and a broader restructuring that aims to cut research and development spending by up to $700 million. In the same announcement, EA said it would cancel other projects, such as the next Star Wars Jedi game and a new Iron Man title, and would instead focus on established franchises like Apex Legends, Battlefield, and its EA Sports line. The company also announced that a skateboarding game would continue with a smaller team.

BioWare was founded in 1995 and was acquired by EA in 2007. Known for Mass Effect and Dragon Age, the studio’s recent releases – Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard – received criticism and did not meet sales expectations, leading to staff reductions in 2025. The closure ends more than three decades of game development at the studio.