What EA's BioWare Closure and 400 Layoffs Mean for Players and Staff

Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and canceling the next Mass Effect game as part of a restructuring that will cut about 3% of its global workforce. EA announced the changes in a memo to employees on Wednesday.

According to Bloomberg, as cited by IGN and Insider Gaming, roughly 400 people will lose their jobs, including about 50 at BioWare. EA last reported 14,500 employees, Variety noted. The move is the company's first major one since it went private this summer.

What this means for BioWare staff, players and fans

For employees, the impact is immediate. BioWare's Edmonton office will close along with the studio, and about 50 of the affected roles were there, according to Bloomberg's reporting. Insider Gaming reported that the Mass Effect project will not be moved to another EA studio.

For players, the next Mass Effect will not be released. EA said a small BioWare team had been working on early development of the game, and the company decided not to continue it. IGN reported that the game would have been set hundreds of years after Mass Effect 3 and returned to the series' original Milky Way setting.

The live-action Mass Effect series is a separate matter. IGN said it understands the Prime Video show remains in development at Amazon MGM Studios.

BioWare said in a social media post that after more than 30 years, the studio is closing. It thanked players and said its focus now is on supporting its team. In their memo, EA executives Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO, said they did not take the decision lightly.

What EA says it will focus on

Weber and Tinson said EA is concentrating its teams and investment on three priorities: deepening its core franchises, expanding its reach to new platforms and markets, and transforming its business. They described the industry as changing quickly, with more competition for players' time.

The memo, as reported by Variety and IGN, lays out where the company will keep investing:

Shooters: The executives called Battlefield 6 a great success and said more Battlefield games are coming. EA is also bringing its Respawn and DICE studios together on a future project. The memo did not name it, but Variety said multiple sources confirmed it is Star Wars: Battlefront 3.
Apex Legends: EA plans to keep investing heavily over the next few years, with new multiplayer modes and other experiences.
Action-adventure: Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game are still planned, though IGN said the memo points to fewer large projects running at once.
EA Sports: Two new projects will be revealed in the next few months, including a social-first open-world American football experience called Project Gridiron. EA is also in pre-production on a return of Fight Night after a 15-year hiatus.
Lifestyle: The Sims effort called Project Evergreen gets priority, while Skate will be handled by a smaller, more focused team.

Reports differ on the fate of a second Sims project. EA's memo, per Variety and IGN, says development on Project Lotus is paused, while Insider Gaming described it as canceled.

The ownership backdrop

EA closed its sale to a group of investors on Aug. 4, Variety reported. The group includes Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners, in an all-cash deal valued at $55 billion. Insider Gaming called the layoffs the first major step under the new owners.

BioWare's recent record was uneven, according to IGN. Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard both underperformed, and Mass Effect Andromeda was widely seen by fans as a disappointment, though the Legendary Edition remaster was well received.

What to watch next

Insider Gaming reported it is believed more cuts are expected over the next 12 to 18 months. EA has not confirmed that in the reporting available. Insider Gaming also said that a year ago EA had explored selling BioWare, but talks did not get far before the closure decision.

EA says details on its new sports projects will come in the next few months. The company has not disclosed what support, if any, will be offered to the laid-off employees.

Around Prague, based on reporting by Variety, IGN, Insider Gaming

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