Electronic Arts has confirmed that it is shutting down BioWare, the developer behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and canceling the next Mass Effect game. The closure is part of a wider restructuring announced on October 21, 2026, which will eliminate approximately 400 jobs across EA, according to Bloomberg.
The decision brings BioWare’s more than 30-year history to an end and cancels a highly anticipated installment in one of EA’s established role-playing game franchises. The studio’s Edmonton workspace will also close as part of the restructuring.
In an internal memo distributed to employees, EA President and Chief Operating Officer David Tinson and President and Chief Studios Officer Cam Weber outlined changes to the company’s development priorities. The executives said EA had spent several months reviewing its operations and identifying projects that no longer aligned with its long-term strategy.
Among those projects was the next Mass Effect, which remained in early development. EA decided not to proceed with the game, resulting in BioWare’s closure rather than transferring the project to another development team.
Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier first reported the restructuring and its workforce impact. According to a person familiar with EA’s plans, approximately 400 positions will be eliminated, representing roughly 3% of the company’s workforce. Around 50 of those positions are reportedly associated with BioWare. EA has confirmed the studio closure and project cancellation, while the specific layoff figures come from Bloomberg’s reporting.
BioWare also acknowledged the closure in a statement published on its official social media account. The studio reflected on its history developing Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem, while emphasizing support for employees affected by the decision.
The cancellation marks a significant reversal from BioWare’s previous plans. In November 2025, Mass Effect executive producer Mike Gamble confirmed that the next installment remained in development and that EA and BioWare were committed to continuing the franchise. At the time, the studio said its development team was focused exclusively on Mass Effect.
BioWare had already undergone substantial restructuring before the closure. Following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024, EA transferred several employees to other teams while retaining a smaller group of veteran developers working on Mass Effect. That team included Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts and Parrish Ley.
Founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2008, BioWare became one of the industry’s best-known RPG developers through its emphasis on branching narratives, player choices and companion relationships. Its catalog includes the original Baldur’s Gate games, Knights of the Old Republic, the Mass Effect trilogy and the Dragon Age series.
The closure also comes shortly after EA’s transition to private ownership following a $55 billion acquisition involving Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
EA’s broader restructuring will redirect investment toward projects and franchises the publisher considers stronger long-term opportunities. The company continues to support major properties including Battlefield, Apex Legends and EA Sports, alongside upcoming projects such as Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game.
EA has also recently outlined plans for major changes affecting established gaming franchises elsewhere in the industry, although BioWare’s closure is a separate decision within EA’s own development portfolio.
For Mass Effect players, the immediate consequence is the cancellation of the installment BioWare had been developing since its announcement in 2020. EA has not announced a replacement project, a new development team or a future release plan for the franchise.
The announcement does not establish that EA is abandoning the Mass Effect intellectual property permanently. However, with BioWare closing and its current project canceled, there is no longer an announced Mass Effect game in active development.
