BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, is closing, and early development on the next Mass Effect project has ended.
The studio confirmed the closure in a statement on X (formerly Twitter) on October 21st. "Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending," the statement read. "There is nothing easy about writing those words."
400 jobs cut at Electronic Arts
The closure is part of a wider round of layoffs at parent company Electronic Arts (EA). Bloomberg reported that EA is cutting 400 jobs and shutting BioWare down, with the next Mass Effect game cancelled as part of the cuts. No separate statement from EA had appeared on its X account at the time of writing.
BioWare said its attention is now on its staff. "Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition," the statement read. It did not say how many of the 400 roles are at BioWare, or when the studio will close for good.
Three decades of BioWare
For more than 30 years, BioWare described itself as "a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life." Its statement listed the games it is best known for: Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem.
The studio ended its message by thanking players. "These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own," it said. "From all of us at BioWare, thank you for being the most meaningful part of our story."
