BioWare Is Shutting Down, and Edmonton Is Losing More Than a Studio

Electronic Arts is shutting down BioWare, the Edmonton studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and the next Mass Effect game is cancelled with it. That’s according to a report that says EA is cutting about 400 jobs, including about 50 at BioWare. It’s the publisher’s biggest move since a Saudi-led group completed its $55 billion acquisition of EA in August.

BioWare said on X that “after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.”

In an internal memo, EA said it decided “not to move forward” with early development on Mass Effect, which means “we’re closing the studio and our Edmonton workspace.” The company called BioWare “a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre” and said it will help affected employees explore other roles within EA.

Work continues on Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game, according to the memo, while Respawn and DICE will team up on a future project.

For Edmonton, the loss runs deeper than one cancelled game. BioWare was founded in the city in 1995 by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip, and EA bought it in 2007.

The closure caps a rough year for game developers, from Microsoft’s 3,200 Xbox job cuts to Epic’s decision to cut 1,000 staff in March.

Former BioWare developers shared memories online, including Casey Hudson, who said he started his career at the studio and called the closure “sad news on multiple fronts.”

Anyone who wants to revisit BioWare’s work can start with Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which PlayStation owners may remember from the free PS Plus games lineup in March 2025.

Which BioWare game meant the most to you?