Electronic Arts has announced a 3% global workforce reduction, totaling roughly 400 layoffs, alongside the complete closure of BioWare and the cancellation of its early-development Mass Effect project. The restructuring follows the company’s $55 billion private buyout earlier this year.
Electronic Arts Cuts 400 Jobs and Closes BioWare
Videogame giant Electronic Arts initiated a sweeping restructuring of its studio operations on October 21, 2026. This resulted in the elimination of approximately 400 positions across its global workforce.
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The changes were communicated to staff in an internal memorandum authored by Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO.
The cuts represent roughly 3% of the company’s total staff, which previously stood at 14,500 employees. Among the hardest-hit operations is BioWare, the legendary role-playing game studio that was founded in 1995 and acquired by Electronic Arts in 2007.
Approximately 50 roles were cut at the studio before executives confirmed the entire operation would be shuttered and its Edmonton workspace closed.
Mass Effect 5 Canceled as BioWare Closes
With the closure of the studio, Electronic Arts officially canceled work on the next mainline title in the Mass Effect series. The project had been in early development since late 2020 following the release of Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017.
BREAKING: Electronic Arts is cutting 400 jobs and shutting down BioWare, the legendary development studio behind Dragon Age and Mass Effect. https://t.co/suZD0eRvG1
Although executive producer Mike Gamble confirmed in November 2025 that the team was focused exclusively on the project, the studio spent the intervening years primarily finishing Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
BioWare confirmed its closure through a statement published on social media. This brought an end to a three-decade history that included franchises like Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Dragon Age, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending.
BioWare, via Kotaku and Videocardz
In their memo to staff, Weber and Tinson acknowledged the gravity of the decision regarding the studio.
Debt Mounts After $55 Billion Buyout
The studio closures and workforce reductions follow Electronic Arts transitioning to private ownership in August 2026. The transaction, valued at $55 billion, was backed by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.
As part of the buyout, the publisher was saddled with $18 billion in debt.
Executives subsequently promised investors $700 million in annual cost savings, setting off a series of operational reductions. BioWare had faced mounting pressure following the commercial underperformance of Anthem in 2019 and the weak sales of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Electronic Arts Shifts Focus to Apex Legends and Core Franchises
As Electronic Arts narrows its focus to larger commercial opportunities, leadership outlined plans to concentrate resources on core franchises and fewer simultaneous projects. The company intends to invest in Respawn’s Apex Legends, while action-adventure teams continue development on Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game.
At the same time, Respawn and DICE are collaborating on a future project believed to be Star Wars: Battlefront 3.
EA has shut down BioWare and canceled the next Mass Effect game, per Bloomberg Around 400 people have reportedly been laid off pic.twitter.com/yLU8caAUpJ
Within EA Sports, the publisher is focusing on its sports game offerings and preparing to revive the boxing franchise Fight Night.