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# Electronic Arts Closing BioWare, Laying Off Hundreds
- URL: https://aftermath.site/electronic-arts-closing-bioware-laying-off-hundreds/
- Published: 2026-10-21T17:40:48.000Z
- Updated: 2026-10-21T18:38:44.000Z
- Description: Around 400 people are expected to be laid off across Electronic Arts
- Author: Nicole Carpenter
- Tags: News, Video Games, layoffs, closures, Bioware, electronic arts, #top-story

Electronic Arts is shutting down renowned Canadian studio BioWare, [Bloomberg reported Wednesday](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-10-21/electronic-arts-to-cut-400-jobs-shut-down-bioware?ref=aftermath.site). Four hundred jobs will be cut, which is around 3% of Electronic Arts' staff; fifty of those jobs were from BioWare alone, per the report. BioWare was reportedly working on the next *Mass Effect* game, which has been canceled, Bloomberg reported, citing an interal memo to staff from Electronic Arts chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber.

BioWare confirmed the studio closure [in a post on X](https://x.com/bioware/status/2112953618093535510?ref=aftermath.site) shortly after Bloomberg's report was published.

> [pic.twitter.com/TicSujMWps](https://t.co/TicSujMWps?ref=aftermath.site)
> 
> — BioWare (@bioware) [October 21, 2026](https://x.com/bioware/status/2112953618093535510?ref%5Fsrc=twsrc%5Etfw&ref=aftermath.site)

"Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending," BioWare wrote in the post. "There is nothing easy about writing those words. Our focus riht now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition."

Electronic Arts is also canceling a *The Sims* game called Project Lotus, instead pivoting toward another game currently called Project Evergreen. Electronic Arts will focus on its sports games, *Apex Legends*, and its licensed IP projects like *Iron Man* and the next iteration of *Star Wars Jedi*. Bloomberg reported that Electronic Arts will also pursue the *Battlefield* franchise, and that Respawn and DICE are working on a new project, "which is likely to be another entry in the *Star Wars: Battlefront* series."

[Electronic Arts was taken private in August](https://aftermath.site/the-ea-sale-is-bad-news-for-everyone/) in a $55 billion buyout; the Saudi Arabian government's investment fund led that purchase. The deal left $18 billion in debt on the company's books. Electronic Arts told its investors earlier this year it would cut costs, saving up to $700 million, [per Bloomberg](https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2026-03-23/ea-touts-700-million-buyout-cost-savings-to-coax-debt-investors?ref=aftermath.site), by slashing its research and development budget.

BioWare was once one of the industry's most iconic studios, known for the *Mass Effect* and *Dragon Age* series, as well as *Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic* and *Baldur's Gate*. It was founded more than three decades ago, in 1995, by Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. The company was acquired by Electronic Arts, along with Pandemic Studios, [in 2007 for $775 million](https://www.ign.com/articles/2007/10/11/ea-buys-bioware-pandemic?ref=aftermath.site). BioWare has struggled in recent years to match the success of its earlier games. *Anthem*, its multiplayer shooter released in 2019, failed to meet expectations [and was ultimately shut down in 2025](https://aftermath.site/anthem-server-shutdown-trying-for-the-first-time-bioware-ea/). *Dragon Age: Veilguard*, released in 2024, similarly struggled to meet Electronic Arts' expectations. It was after that game's release where Electronic Arts started to pull apart BioWare, shuffling employees to other studios and laying off others. By 2025, [fewer than 100 employees](https://aftermath.site/podcasts/dragon-age-veilguard-mass-effect-5-bioware-layoffs-ea/) remained at the company.

Electronic Arts' big, public struggles were confirmed in 2023 when Electronic Arts began rapidly cancelling projects and closing studios. *Apex Legends Mobile* and *Battlefield Mobile* were canceled, and developer Industrial Toys was shuttered. Hundreds of quality assurance testers were laid off that year, too, shortly before Electronic Arts announced a massive 6% layoff, [cutting 775 employees](https://www.gamesindustry.biz/ea-restructuring-laying-off-6-of-workforce?ref=aftermath.site). Fifty BioWare employees were laid off in 2023, too; [they ended up suing the company for better severance pay](https://www.polygon.com/23903033/bioware-severance-lawsuit-canada-dragon-age-dreadwolf/?ref=aftermath.site). The results of that lawsuit have not been made public. Layoffs and cancellations continued from there: [in February 2024](https://www.bbc.com/news/technology-68434599?ref=aftermath.site), Electronic Arts laid off 5% of its workers, or roughly 670 people. An early in development Star Wars game was canceled at that time. In 2025, Electronic Arts laid off several hundred people, [canceled Cliffhanger Games' *Black Panther*, and closed the studio](https://aftermath.site/ea-black-panther-canceled-layoffs/). Though Electronic Arts laid off hundreds of people, [in March 2025](https://www.gamefile.news/p/wait-a-minute-eas-headcount-rose?ref=aftermath.site), the studio was up 800 more people than the same time the prior year. The studio has roughly 14,000 employees currently.

The grim reality is that this is not an uncommon course of action in the video game industry. An absurd amount of people are still being laid off each year. Just this year, [Microsoft laid of 1,600 people and is expected to cut 1,600 more](https://aftermath.site/microsoft-xbox-layoffs-2026-bethesda-obsidian-activision-blizzard/). The layoffs span companies big and small: Sony Interactive Entertainment, [*PowerWash Simulator*'s FuturLab](https://aftermath.site/futurlab-powerwash-simulator-layoffs/), and Ubisoft are among others who've laid off staff, while Netflix shuttered *Oxenfree* maker Night School Games.