EA shuts down BioWare studio
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The gist
EA confirmed it is shutting down BioWare, closing its Edmonton workspace and canceling early work on the next Mass Effect.
The studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age ends after three decades under its owner since 2007.
Background
BioWare is the Edmonton-based studio founded in 1995 by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, known for Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. EA, the video game publisher, bought the studio in 2007, before Mass Effect and Dragon Age existed. The closure comes months after EA went private in a $55 billion deal led by Silver Lake, Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner's Affinity Partners; analysts at the time told Ars to expect layoffs, studio closures and IP sales.
How it unfolded
- 1995BioWare is founded in Edmonton, Alberta by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip; its first game is Shattered Steel.
- 1998BioWare makes its name with Baldur's Gate.
- 2007EA purchases BioWare; then-CEO John Riccitiello calls it one of "the most respected studios in the industry."
- Nov 7, 2020BioWare first teases the next Mass Effect game on N7 Day.
- 2026 -08EA closes a deal to be acquired by a consortium including Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners.
- Oct 21, 2026EA confirms it is shutting down BioWare, closing its Edmonton workspace and canceling early development on the next Mass Effect; Bloomberg reports about 400 job cuts, roughly 50 at BioWare.
- Oct 21, 2026BioWare announces the closure on social media Wednesday afternoon, minutes after the Bloomberg report; EA says it will try to help affected employees find roles internally.
Who’s saying what
- Official
- EA executives David Tinson and Cam Weber said BioWare is "a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre" and the decision was not taken lightly, framing it as focusing on fewer simultaneous large-scale projects.
- Official
- EA said it is making "deliberate choices to align talent and investments" where it sees the greatest opportunities, and pointed to upcoming Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game.
- Analysts
- Analysts told Ars at the time of the buyout to expect "layoffs, studio closures, and [selling] of IP" after EA went private.
Still unverified
The roughly 400 job cuts and about 50 at BioWare come from a person familiar with the company's plans who asked not to be identified discussing nonpublic information; EA has not detailed which other teams or geographies absorb the rest of the reductions.