Electronic Arts announced on Wednesday (21) the closure of BioWare, the Canadian studio responsible for the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises, and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect, which was in the early stages of development. The decision also ends the company's operations in Edmonton, Canada, as part of a reorganization of EA's portfolio.
In a statement to employees, signed by executives Cam Weber and David Tinson, the company confirmed that it does not intend to continue development of the game. The company said: “We are closing the studio and our facilities in Edmonton.”
The move ends more than three decades of activity for BioWare, founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007. In addition to Mass Effect and Dragon Age, the studio was known for titles such as Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
According to reporting by Bloomberg, the restructuring involves approximately 400 layoffs at Electronic Arts, including about 50 BioWare employees. The figures were obtained by the outlet and do not appear in the official statement.
EA reduces number of projects and reorganizes studios
Electronic Arts said it intends to concentrate investments and teams on a smaller number of simultaneous major productions. Among the projects that remain in development are Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi, while Respawn Entertainment and DICE will work together on a future shooter project not yet detailed.
The reorganization also affects other franchises. EA announced the pause in development of Project Lotus, a project tied to The Sims, to prioritize Project Evergreen. The team responsible for skate., meanwhile, will be reduced and will work under a more focused plan.
The company said it will offer support to affected professionals, including the possibility of seeking other opportunities within EA.
Although the new Mass Effect has been canceled, the statement does not determine the definitive end of the franchise. The confirmed decision refers to the project that was in development at BioWare.
