BioWare closes after 31 years as EA cuts 400 jobs

BioWare, the Canadian studio behind the Mass Effect and Dragon Age role-playing games, has closed after 31 years as parent company Electronic Arts cuts 400 jobs across its business.

EA said the studio’s last two releases did not meet sales expectations. Its most recent game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, was released in 2024.

In a statement, BioWare thanked players for “being the most important part of the story” during its history. The studio had been working on a new Mass Effect game.

Founded in 1995, BioWare became known for games built around complex stories and branching choices. Its first major success came with Baldur’s Gate in 1998, followed by the Mass Effect trilogy and several Dragon Age games in the late 2000s.

The closure comes as EA reshapes its business. The company said it would focus on key titles and series, with “fewer simultaneous, large-scale projects” in action-adventure games. It confirmed that new games based on Iron Man and Star Wars Jedi are in development.

EA also said it had taken on $20bn in debt as part of its $55bn sale to a Saudi Arabia-led group of investors. The company announced other changes, including the cancellation of a Sims project and job cuts at Skate developer Full Circle.