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The writing was on the wall, but the news still hit us like a truck yesterday. BioWare, the iconic RPG studio behind the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, is no more. Development on the next Mass Effect has stopped, but EA might not be entirely done with the IP.
Variety reported, backed by EA’s own statement and BioWare’s goodbye on socials, that EA is laying off 3% of its global workforce and closing down BioWare. The shift comes shortly after the company went fully private this summer, with Saudi Arabia and private equity acquiring it alongside all its studios and properties.
A new Mass Effect game — meant to serve as a follow-up to the original trilogy — had been in development since the early 2020s, though progress was slow following severe downsizing after 2024’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet EA’s expectations. According to Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, only around 50 staff remained at the studio, which would’ve needed to go on a hiring spree to complete development of the massive sci-fi RPG.
The first post-shutdown shocker arrived a bit later, with IGN exclusively revealing that Mass Effect isn’t entirely dead, as the upcoming live-action TV show based on Mass Effect is still moving forward at Prime Video.
The series started active development at Amazon in late 2024, but it has yet to reach production status. Little is known about the story, but rumors point to it aiming to bridge the gap between the original trilogy and the now-cancelled new game. Despite closing the studio that created it, EA still owns the Mass Effect property.
Variety’s report, which includes more comments from EA’s top brass about the present and future of the publisher, also contains updates on Marvel’s Iron Man (developed at Motive) and Star Wars Jedi 3 (Respawn Entertainment). Both are still coming, and the more surprising news comes in the shape of DICE and Respawn teaming up for a totally new project, believed to be Star Wars Battlefront 3 after days of strong rumors from a number of reputable sources.
Elsewhere, ex-BioWare developers have teamed up at new studios like Archetype and Arcanaut. The former is preparing to ship Mass Effect-inspired action RPG Exodus in 2027, and the latter recently started work on Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, with original Knights of the Old Republic (and Mass Effect) director Casey Hudson behind the wheel.
Here’s hoping both studios, as well as the recently laid-off developers, can find success in an increasingly hostile industry.
