EA shuts down BioWare after three decades — and the next Mass Effect is cancelled
The studio behind Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect and Dragon Age was closed on October 21 as EA cut around 400 jobs after its $55 billion buyout.
Electronic Arts announced on October 21, 2026 that it is closing BioWare, the studio behind Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. About 50 people were still working there.
Why now
EA was taken private this summer in a $55 billion leveraged buyout led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners, partly funded by $20 billion in debt. Around 400 jobs were cut across EA's studios.
According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, EA reviewed two upcoming projects expected to cost more than $100 million each — the next Mass Effect and a new Star Wars: Battlefront — and chose Battlefront as the safer bet. The next Mass Effect has been cancelled.
A long decline
BioWare had been shrinking for years: from more than 200 staff to under 100 after cuts in early 2025. Dragon Age: The Veilguard reportedly missed its sales target by about 50%.
Developers across the industry, including Warren Spector, have criticised the decision, and a fan petition to save the Canadian studio has gathered enough signatures for a Canadian government review.