Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, and cutting around 400 jobs across the company, roughly three percent of its workforce. The move, announced on Wednesday, ends nearly two decades of EA ownership for one of the most influential role-playing game developers in the industry and signals a sharp narrowing of the publisher's development slate as it adjusts to life under private ownership.

A storied studio closes in Edmonton

EA acquired BioWare in 2007, and the studio built a reputation on narrative-driven RPGs that shaped the genre. In recent years, however, its output struggled commercially. Anthem, the studio's live-service experiment, shut down earlier this year, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet sales expectations. EA said a small team had been in the early stages of work on the next Mass Effect game, but it has decided to cancel that project and close BioWare entirely, including its office in Edmonton, Alberta. In a memo, EA co-presidents Cam Weber and David Tinson called BioWare "a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre" and said the company does not take the decision lightly.

Full Circle and Maxis feel the restructuring

The cuts extend beyond BioWare. Skate developer Full Circle, whose game has been in early access since September last year, will be reduced to what EA describes as a more focused, smaller team. The memo said the game had brought in a lot of players but that the studio needs a leaner structure to deliver on a clear roadmap and build a healthier, more sustainable business. At The Sims developer Maxis, EA is pausing development of "Project Lotus" to redirect resources toward another initiative called "Project Evergreen."

Respawn, Dice and the future slate

EA also outlined where its remaining studios are headed. Respawn and Dice are collaborating on a new shooter while continuing work on Battlefield projects and Apex Legends, which has more multiplayer modes on the way. Variety's sources indicate the new shooter is Star Wars: Battlefront 3, a series Dice previously developed. After Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game, EA said it will concentrate on fewer simultaneous large-scale action-adventure projects. Its sports division is bringing back the Fight Night series, and the American football team is working on a social-first open-world experience, with more details promised in the coming months.

Why the cuts are happening now

The restructuring follows EA's transition to private ownership, a deal that left the company carrying $20 billion in debt. That balance sheet pressure makes expensive, long-gestation projects harder to justify, particularly when previous bets have underperformed. Closing BioWare removes a studio with a premium cost base and a recent record of missed sales targets, while the reduced scope at Full Circle and the paused project at Maxis suggest EA is prioritizing fewer, more predictable releases. The company said it will help affected workers explore other opportunities within EA.

What it means for the industry

BioWare's closure is one of the most significant studio shutdowns in recent years, removing a name synonymous with single-player RPGs from the development landscape. For developers, it reinforces how quickly live-service misfires and missed sales targets can translate into closures, even at studios with deep catalogues and loyal audiences. For players, the cancellation of the next Mass Effect ends a revival that had only just begun. EA's remaining studios now carry a consolidated slate, and the coming months will show whether a narrower portfolio can deliver the stability the company is seeking.