EA shuts down BioWare and cancels next Mass Effect game

EA is closing BioWare and ending early development on the next Mass Effect game, the studio announced on October 21. The shutdown is part of a larger wave of layoffs at EA that will cut 400 jobs, which represents 3% of the publisher's total workforce. About 50 of those job cuts are at BioWare.

These cuts follow EA's $55 billion sale to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, a deal that was completed nearly three months ago. The buyout left the company with between $18 billion and $20 billion in debt, resulting in roughly $1.8 billion in annual interest payments. To manage these costs, EA told investors it intends to cut $700 million in annual expenses, including $170 million from organizational efficiencies.

EA says it will focus on other properties, including Apex Legends, Battlefield, sports titles, Marvel’s Iron Man, and the next Star Wars Jedi game.

BioWare was founded in 1995 and is known for franchises such as Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Baldur’s Gate. While the next Mass Effect project was in early development, the studio confirmed that work on it has ended.