Electronic Arts will close BioWare and its Edmonton workspace after ending early work on the next Mass Effect, a decision that shifts staff and investment as the publisher narrows its game portfolio.
In an Oct. 21 memo, EA President and Chief Studios Officer Cam Weber and President and Chief Operating Officer David Tinson said a small team had been working on the project. EA said it had decided against continuing that work, and the BioWare studio in Edmonton will shut.
EA said it plans to run fewer large-scale action-adventure projects at once. It said future staffing and investment choices will reflect which opportunities it considers most promising for players and the company’s long-term growth.
Bloomberg, citing an unnamed person familiar with the plans, reported EA is preparing around 400 job cuts, equal to about 3% of its workforce, including roughly 50 at BioWare. EA’s public announcement gave no job-cut total or closure date. EconoTimes previously covered the closure and reported cuts.
BioWare’s January 2025 update said a core team was working on the next Mass Effect after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The studio said it had worked to match some employees with open roles elsewhere at EA. EA said affected employees would receive support as they explore internal opportunities, but it has not said where they may land. BioWare said the closure ends more than three decades of work.
EA plans to discuss its direction at a global town hall in November 2026, but has not announced a date.
