Electronic Arts confirmed it will shut down BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and halt early development of the next Mass Effect title, according to an internal announcement sent to staff.

The company also disclosed plans to lay off roughly 400 employees, including about 50 at BioWare, as part of broader restructuring following EA’s $55 billion acquisition by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, Silver Lake and Affinity Partners in August.

Other major publishers have announced similar workforce reductions this year, with Xbox planning 3,200 cuts, Bungie reporting "significant" layoffs and Epic Games confirming over 1,000 job reductions.

In the statement, EA president and chief studios officer Cam Weber and EA president and COO David Tinson described BioWare as a "legendary studio that helped define the role‑playing genre" and said the decision was not taken lightly. They noted the studio’s 30‑year history of titles such as Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem.

The executives said the closure reflects BioWare’s recent challenges, including a mixed reception to Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017, an unsuccessful live‑service bet with Anthem in 2019 and missed sales expectations for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which prompted earlier staff reductions.

Amazon MGM Studios declined to comment on the status of a planned Mass Effect television series, though IGN reported the project remains in development. EA’s announcement also outlined continued investment in other franchises, including new entries in the Marvel’s Iron Man and Star Wars Jedi lines, a social‑first open‑world football title called Project Gridiron, and a pre‑production effort on a new Fight Night boxing game.

Within EA’s portfolio strategy, the company said it will concentrate resources on shooter and action‑adventure titles, streamline development on The Sims and skate., and adjust its live‑service Skate project. It emphasized that while some changes are difficult for affected employees, it will support them in seeking other roles within the company.

The restructuring reflects EA’s effort to focus on projects with clearer growth potential amid a rapidly evolving gaming market.