EA to close BioWare, cancel next Mass Effect and cut about 400 jobs
In short
Electronic Arts said it is closing the studio BioWare and ending early development of the next Mass Effect game. Bloomberg reported that about 400 EA jobs, roughly 3% of staff, are being cut, around 50 of them at BioWare.
Read the full story 2 min read
Electronic Arts is closing the studio BioWare and ending early development of the next Mass Effect game, according to a staff letter and a statement from BioWare. Bloomberg reported that about 400 positions, roughly 3% of EA's staff, are being cut, including about 50 at BioWare. The staff letter was sent on Wednesday, according to Polygon and GameSpot, and GameSpot said EA confirmed the changes on October 21. [ 1 , 3 , 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
In the letter, EA chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber said they had taken a 'hard look at our business'. They wrote that a small team at BioWare had been working on early development of Mass Effect and that 'we've made the decision not to move forward with this development, which means we're closing the studio and our Edmonton workspace'. They called BioWare 'a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre' and said they did not take the decision lightly. [ 1 , 3 , 7 , 10 ]
BioWare's own social media statement said that 'BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending'. It added that the team's focus was on its staff and on supporting one another through the transition. GameSpot cited Bloomberg as saying the studio employed fewer than 100 people. [ 4 , 6 , 7 , 8 ]
The letter also covered other projects. EA is pausing a Sims game codenamed Project Lotus and moving resources to a project codenamed Project Evergreen. Full Circle will continue to work on Skate with a smaller team. EA will keep investing in sports games, Apex Legends, Battlefield, the next Star Wars Jedi game and an Iron Man game, and Respawn and DICE are collaborating on a new shooter. EA said it would help affected workers explore other opportunities within the company. [ 1 , 3 , 7 , 10 ]
The cuts follow EA's take-private deal, valued at $55 billion and closed in August. The buyers were an investor group that included Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners. Engadget said the new owners placed $20 billion of debt on the company. GamesRadar+ said the deal had sparked concerns about closures and layoffs, and GameSpot said many had expected major changes after the acquisition. [ 2 , 4 , 5 , 6 , 8 , 10 , 13 ]
Outlets also described the studio's history. PC Gamer said BioWare was founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007, and that Anthem failed to catch on and Dragon Age: The Veilguard 'underperformed', according to EA. IGN said both underperformed. GamesRadar+ reported that internal remarks reportedly indicate EA will look to cut further people and projects in the near future. [ 2 , 4 , 5 ]
Why it matters
The closure ends a studio that outlets describe as maker of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. Several outlets link the changes to EA's move into private ownership this year, and EA said it will focus on its larger franchises.
Key facts
- EA is closing BioWare and its Edmonton workspace, and will not move forward with the next Mass Effect game, which was in early development. [ 1 , 6 , 7 , 10 ]
- Bloomberg reported that about 400 positions, roughly 3% of EA's staff, are being cut, including about 50 at BioWare. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 ]
- The decision was announced in a staff letter from EA's David Tinson and Cam Weber and in a statement posted by BioWare on social media. [ 1 , 3 , 6 , 7 ]
- EA is pausing a Sims game codenamed Project Lotus and putting resources into another project codenamed Project Evergreen. [ 3 , 7 , 10 ]
- Full Circle will keep working on Skate with a smaller team. [ 1 , 3 , 10 ]
- EA was taken private in a $55 billion deal that closed in August, involving Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. [ 2 , 5 , 6 , 13 ]
Confirmed by several sources
- BioWare is closing and the next Mass Effect project is ending, according to BioWare's own statement and EA's staff letter. [ 4 , 6 , 7 ]
- About 400 EA employees, roughly 3% of staff, are being laid off, including about 50 at BioWare. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 6 , 7 , 13 ]
- EA is pausing the Sims project Project Lotus and redirecting resources to Project Evergreen. [ 3 , 7 , 10 ]
- EA will continue with Apex Legends, Battlefield, sports games, a new Star Wars Jedi game and an Iron Man game. [ 1 , 2 , 3 , 7 ]
- EA's $55 billion take-private deal closed in August. [ 5 , 6 , 13 ]
Still unclear
- Whether further cuts and project cancellations will follow. Only GamesRadar+ says the internal remarks reportedly indicate EA will look to cut additional people and projects in the near future.
- What happens to the Mass Effect and Dragon Age properties. Only an IGN headline reports former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah saying EA might be more likely to sell such properties; no article text was available.
- Whether the new Respawn and DICE project is a Star Wars: Battlefront game. IGN says Variety reported it, while Polygon says it only 'sounds like' a new Battlefront game.
- The status of the Mass Effect TV series. Only IGN says its understanding is that the Prime Video show remains in development at Amazon MGM Studios.
What local media are saying
Timeline, local time
- Game Informer publishes the Bloomberg-sourced report on about 400 cuts and the BioWare closure. [ 1 ]
- IGN reports that EA has announced BioWare is shutting down and the next Mass Effect is canceled. [ 2 ]
- GameSpot publishes a rundown of EA's announcements, including layoffs, the BioWare closure and a pause on a Sims game. [ 8 ]
- Reuters reports that EA will shutter BioWare and cut jobs. [ 11 ]
- IGN publishes comments from former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah on the closure. [ 15 ]