On October 21 (local time), Electronic Arts (EA) announced the closure of BioWare, the game development studio behind the “Mass Effect” and “Dragon Age” series, among others. The company also revealed that development of the next installment in the “Mass Effect” series, which was in progress, has been canceled.
A legendary studio that shaped the history of RPGs brings its 31-year run to a close
BioWare is a game development studio founded in Edmonton, Canada, in 1995.
Starting with *Baldur’s Gate* in 1998, the studio developed numerous classic RPGs, including *Neverwinter Nights*, *Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic*, and *Jade Empire*.Furthermore, the studio created two popular series, *Mass Effect* and *Dragon Age*, and has continued to make its mark in the RPG genre by emphasizing storytelling and player choice. It is no exaggeration to say that many overseas RPGs have been influenced by BioWare’s titles.
However, in recent years, titles such as *Anthem* and *Mass Effect: Andromeda* have received harsh reviews, and *Dragon Age: Guardians of the Veil*, set for release in 2024, also fell short of EA’s expectations.In 2025, the studio downsized its development team, and a small group of staff continued working on the next *Mass Effect* title.
EA has now released an official statement outlining its future business strategy. Citing intensifying competition and changes in the gaming industry, the company announced a plan to narrow its investment focus and concentrate management resources on core franchises and businesses with growth potential.
As part of this effort, EA announced that it is canceling development of the next *Mass Effect* game—which was in the early stages of development at BioWare—and closing the studio and its Edmonton office.
EA described BioWare as “a legendary studio that shaped the RPG genre” and explained that this decision was by no means made lightly.
Additionally, according to a Bloomberg report, approximately 400 employees across EA—including about 50 at BioWare—are expected to be affected by the layoffs.
“After more than 30 years of adventure,” BioWare also released a farewell statement
Following the announcement of the closure, BioWare itself updated its official blog.
The studio looked back on its history spanning more than 30 years, listing such iconic titles as *Baldur’s Gate*, *Neverwinter Nights*, *Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic*, *Dragon Age*, *Mass Effect*, and *Anthem*.
It also reported that, following more than 30 years of adventure, the studio is closing and that early development on the next *Mass Effect* title has been halted.
In the statement, the studio expressed gratitude to fans, noting that what made their past works so special was that players actually played the games, discussed their choices, fell in love with the characters, and made each world their own.
Finally, they conveyed their gratitude, stating that the fans were the most important part of BioWare’s story.
While the cancellation of the next *Mass Effect* game has been officially announced, it remains unclear at this time what will happen to the *Mass Effect* and *Dragon Age* franchises themselves.
