BioWare is closing. Electronic Arts confirmed on October 21, 2026 that it is shutting down the legendary studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and Baldur’s Gate after more than three decades — and ending 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,” the studio said in its farewell statement.
Read the full report from The Associated Press.
The end of a 31-year run
Founded in Canada in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007, BioWare built one of the most decorated catalogs in gaming history: Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect. But the studio never recovered from Anthem, its 2019 live-service shooter that flopped, and both Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017) and Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024) drew mixed reviews. The closure ends a slow decline that fans saw coming for years.
Why EA pulled the plug now
The shutdown is part of a roughly 400-person layoff — about 3% of EA’s workforce — with around 50 of those jobs at BioWare, according to Bloomberg’s reporting. The timing is no coincidence. EA closed its $55 billion sale in August 2026 to a group led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, the firm of Jared Kushner, taking the company private. New private-equity ownership tends to cut deep, and a prestige studio with no live game in production was the obvious target.
What happens to Mass Effect?
The next Mass Effect — which would have been the fifth entry since the 2007 original — is canceled. EA has not detailed what becomes of the studio’s existing games, but its classic titles remain on sale while no new Dragon Age or Mass Effect is in development. For one of gaming’s most beloved franchises, the future is now a question mark.
Frequently asked questions
Is BioWare really shutting down?
Yes. EA confirmed the closure on October 21, 2026, ending the studio’s 31-year run.
Is the new Mass Effect canceled?
Yes. EA ended early development on the next Mass Effect project as part of the shutdown.
Why did EA close BioWare?
EA is cutting about 400 jobs overall. BioWare had struggled commercially since Anthem’s 2019 failure, and EA’s new private-equity-led ownership is trimming costs after the $55 billion buyout.
