Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, after more than three decades. BioWare confirmed the closure in a farewell message on October 21, 2026, and said early development on the next Mass Effect game is ending. EA is cutting about 400 jobs across the company, roughly 3% of its staff, with about 50 at BioWare, Bloomberg reported, citing a person familiar with the plans. EA has not published those numbers itself.
What we know
- BioWare: closing. The studio, founded in Edmonton, Canada, in 1995, made Baldur’s Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
- The next Mass Effect: early development ends with the closure.
- Jobs: about 400 across EA, about 3% of the workforce, including about 50 at BioWare, according to Bloomberg. EA has not given a studio-by-studio breakdown.
- How staff were told: in a letter on October 21 from chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber. Reports say it promised help finding other roles inside EA but did not give severance terms.
What BioWare said
“There is nothing easy about writing those words,” the studio wrote in its farewell message, adding that its focus is its team and supporting employees through the transition.
What happens to Mass Effect and Dragon Age
EA has not said what it will do with either series. Mass Effect executive producer Mike Gamble said EA and BioWare remain committed to telling more stories in that universe, according to reports on the closure.
What it means for the people affected
Most BioWare staff work in Edmonton, Alberta, so Canadian rules on notice and severance apply to them, not the US WARN Act. EA’s US cuts, if they reach the thresholds, would show up as state WARN notices; California notices for EA’s Redwood City headquarters would appear in our California WARN tracker. If you were affected in the US, use our severance calculator to compare your offer and read how to negotiate severance.
EA is the latest games company to cut jobs this year; every 2026 cut is in the tech layoff tracker.
Sources
- PC Gamer: RIP BioWare, EA has shut down the legendary RPG developer
- Nintendo Life: EA shuts down legendary RPG developer BioWare
- Yahoo Finance: EA cuts around 400 jobs, shuts down BioWare