EA Closes BioWare After 30 Years: Next Mass Effect Cancelled as 400 Jobs Are Cut

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and early development on the next Mass Effect is ending. BioWare confirmed the news on October 21, 2026, on the same day reports put EA's wider layoffs at roughly 400 jobs.

It is the end of one of the most influential RPG studios in gaming, three decades after it was founded in Edmonton, Canada. Here is what was confirmed, what is still unclear and what it means for Mass Effect fans.

EA closes BioWare: what was confirmed

In a short post titled "BioWare Update" on its official blog, the studio wrote that "BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending." The post looks back at more than 30 years of games, from Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights to Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem.

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The message is not signed by any individual and does not give a closing date. Its tone is a farewell: BioWare says its focus right now is "on our incredibly talented team" and thanks players for being part of the studio's story.

How many jobs EA is cutting

EA has not published a public statement with figures. According to Bloomberg, as cited by several outlets, the company is laying off about 400 people, roughly 3% of its workforce, and around 50 of them were at BioWare. The small number says a lot: the studio had already shrunk sharply after earlier rounds of cuts.

A staff letter reported by Bloomberg says EA will put most of its investment into its sports games, Apex Legends, Battlefield and new Star Wars and Iron Man projects. Other reports add that the skate. team is getting smaller and that an unannounced Sims-related project, code-named Lotus, has been cancelled. The cuts arrive a few months after EA was taken private.

From Baldur's Gate to The Veilguard: why BioWare mattered

BioWare helped define the Western RPG. Baldur's Gate brought Dungeons & Dragons to PC in a way that still shapes the genre, Knights of the Old Republic became one of the best-loved Star Wars games ever made, and Mass Effect turned player choices into a story that carried across three games.

The last decade was harder. Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017) had a rough launch, Anthem never found its audience and its servers were shut down at the start of 2026, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, released in October 2024, did not meet EA's expectations. After The Veilguard, BioWare's remaining team was moved onto the next Mass Effect, the project first teased at The Game Awards in December 2020. That is the game now being stopped.

What happens to Mass Effect and Dragon Age now

EA still owns the Mass Effect and Dragon Age brands, and nothing in BioWare's post says the series are over for good. But with the studio closing and the next game cancelled, there is no announced Mass Effect or Dragon Age game in development. Whether EA hands the series to another team later is an open question, and the company has not commented on it.

For players, the existing games are not affected for now. Mass Effect Legendary Edition, Andromeda and the Dragon Age games remain listed on official stores, and no delisting has been announced. Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare's MMO, has been run by Broadsword for some time and keeps receiving updates.

If the news has you thinking about a replay, our guide to the Mass Effect games in order explains which version to play and where Andromeda fits.

What comes next for EA

EA's priorities are now clear: live games and big franchises. Battlefield 6 has been a major hit, and the sports line keeps growing, with new modes like EA Sports FC 27's The Grounds. Story-driven single-player RPGs, BioWare's specialty, no longer fit that plan.

Expect more details over the coming days, especially about the affected staff and the future of BioWare's brands. We will update this story if EA makes an official statement or confirms plans for Mass Effect or Dragon Age.