BioWare, which has carved out a 30-year legacy as RPG royalty with titles like Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age, is closing its doors. The new Mass Effect series entry they were developing has also been cancelled.

EA announced restructuring plans through its official website on October 22. The full statement was published on official online channels after being shared first with EA employees. The biggest piece of news is the shutdown of BioWare. EA decided to halt development on the new Mass Effect project being built at BioWare, leading to the closure of the studio itself. Regarding this, EA stated, "It is a legendary studio that laid the foundations of the RPG genre, and this decision was by no means taken lightly."

BioWare built its reputation in the 1990s with Baldur's Gate, and subsequently made a name for itself as a master of Western RPGs by giving birth to Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect. However, Mass Effect: Andromeda, released in 2017, faced relentless criticism, and Anthem, which appeared afterward, remains a dark chapter. Even Dragon Age: The Veilguard, released in 2024 after much soul-searching, could not escape criticism that it fell short of expectations.

Still, BioWare is a living witness that has advanced RPGs over a long period. News of such a developer disappearing has left many industry insiders and gamers in shock. CD Projekt Red CEO Michal Nowakowski stated on October 22 via X (Twitter), "BioWare played a very important part in CDPR's history. We forged a connection by localising and selling Baldur's Gate in Poland, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia, received massive help including the engine needed to develop The Witcher 1 and shared know-how, and they even prepared an E3 booth for us," adding, "I visited BioWare's Edmonton office a few times and invited them to our Warsaw office. It is all the more sad to watch a legendary brand collapse. This is truly an unfortunate event for the gaming industry."

Aside from this, EA announced major restructuring plans. Regarding The Sims, unannounced project 'Project Evergreen' is being prioritized, while another unannounced title, 'Project Lotus', has been cancelled. Skateboarding title 'Skate' is seeing its team size reduced. In the shooter genre, Respawn and DICE are collaborating on a new project. Furthermore, EA is expanding the Apex Legends universe by introducing new play modes and experiences, while continuously investing in the Battlefield series.

In action-adventure, EA added that new Iron Man and Star Wars Jedi titles are being prepared without a hitch. Rather than running massive projects simultaneously, EA plans to concentrate capabilities on a select few to build an environment where every game can succeed. At EA Sports, full support is provided across projects including FC. The football-focused social open-world game 'Project Gridiron' and the revival of boxing game 'Fight Night' were also mentioned.

EA was acquired in August of this year for $55 billion (approx. 72 trillion KRW) by a consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, and subsequently converted into a private company. Addressing this restructuring, EA stated, "Right now, we are the leading publisher in the Western gaming market. But our industry is changing rapidly. Players have more choices for their time and attention than ever before, competition is fiercer, and some of the biggest growth opportunities lie beyond the markets, platforms, and business models where EA has traditionally been strong. That is why over the past few months we have thoroughly examined our business, how we operate, and what it will take to lead the next era."

The scale of layoffs resulting from this decision has not been officially disclosed. However, Bloomberg cited sources familiar with EA's affairs to report that about 400 employees, amounting to 3% of the total workforce, are slated to be laid off, with about 50 belonging to BioWare.