BioWare closing down ends three decades of EA RPGs

BioWare closure follows EA’s huge $55 billion takeover

The developer confirmed on Wednesday evening that it would shut down, alongside the news that early work on the next Mass Effect instalment was being abandoned. 

BioWare built its reputation through a series of major releases, including Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and the Mass Effect franchise.

The announcement comes during a period of significant upheaval for EA. 

The publisher was bought in a $55 billion deal involving several investment firms, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Affinity Partners, the firm founded by Jared Kushner.

The financial deal has been followed by a wider restructuring of the business. According to Bloomberg, around 400 EA employees are set to lose their jobs, representing approximately 3% of the company's workforce. 

The changes also include the cancellation of an unreleased The Sims project and a reduction in the number of developers working on Skate.

Although cuts at BioWare had been anticipated following the takeover, the decision to shut the studio entirely was reportedly unexpected.

‘There is nothing easy about writing those words’

In its announcement, BioWare reflected on the people behind its games and the players who had supported them throughout its history.

“For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio. It has been a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life,” the studio wrote.

The statement went on to confirm both the closure and the end of early development on the next Mass Effect game.

“Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending. There is nothing easy about writing those words.”

EA executives David Tinson and Cam Weber have also explained the company's approach to the changes in a letter to employees seen by Bloomberg. 

They said decisions about staffing and investment were being made with the publisher's future priorities in mind.

“Across our portfolio, we're making deliberate choices to align talent and investments where we see the greatest opportunities for players and long-term growth,” they wrote.