EA closes BioWare and cancels early Mass Effect project

EA is closing BioWare and ending early development on the next Mass Effect game as part of a wider company restructuring announced on October 21, 2026. The studio’s Edmonton workspace will also close.

In a short BioWare post, the studio thanked players and pointed back to more than 30 years of games, including Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Anthem. EA said a small team had been working on the Mass Effect project, but the company has decided “not to move forward” with it.

The move comes alongside broader changes across EA. A memo to employees said the publisher is narrowing its focus to fewer major projects and putting more resources behind franchises and businesses it sees as stronger long-term bets. Reports put the restructuring at around 400 jobs, roughly 3% of EA’s workforce, though EA’s memo doesn’t break down how many of those cuts are tied directly to BioWare.

BioWare’s closure is a major moment for RPG fans. The studio helped define party-based western RPGs, then became one of EA’s biggest narrative-focused teams through Dragon Age and Mass Effect. It also originally developed Star Wars: The Old Republic, the MMORPG now operated by Broadsword, and later released the online action RPG Anthem.

EA’s memo also says Respawn and DICE will work together on a future shooter project, Apex Legends will continue receiving investment, and the company still plans to launch Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game. On the sports side, EA mentioned Project Gridiron and a return for Fight Night, while The Sims “Project Lotus” has been paused.

Further reading: Official BioWare blog post