Overview
- EA confirmed on Wednesday that it will close BioWare’s Edmonton studio and stop development of the Mass Effect sequel that had been announced in 2020.
- The company is cutting about 400 roles worldwide, with roughly 50 jobs affected at BioWare and the Edmonton site to be shuttered.
- An internal memo from EA leaders notes the Mass Effect project was in an early stage with only a small core team, and the publisher chose not to continue development.
- The moves follow EA’s August 4 takeover by a consortium that left roughly $20 billion of debt on the company, a factor executives cite for shifting investment toward sports and live‑service franchises.
- Industry impact could include uncertain futures for BioWare IPs, displaced developers seeking new roles, and a wider trend of publishers favoring recurring‑revenue games over large single‑player RPGs.