Electronic Arts closes BioWare and cancels Mass Effect

Electronic Arts (EA) has announced the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect project. The decision follows a company restructuring that resulted in 400 layoffs, representing approximately 3% of EA’s global workforce.

In a memo, EA President Cam Weber and Chief Studios Officer David Tinson stated that the company decided not to move forward with the Mass Effect project, leading to the closure of the studio and its Edmonton workspace. This development follows EA's transition to a private company earlier this year after acquisition by Silver Lake and Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund.

Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah suggested that EA may consider selling the rights to major franchises such as Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Jade Empire, or simply maintain them without further investment. While Darrah noted that selling the intellectual properties could be an attractive commercial alternative due to the lack of an internal development team, EA has not confirmed any sale or identified potential buyers.