EA cancels Mass Effect 5 and shuts most of BioWare, Bloomberg reports
Electronic Arts canceled the development of Mass Effect 5 and shut down most of BioWare because corporate leadership chose to back a new Star Wars: Battlefront 3 title instead, Bloomberg reported. Bloomberg reported that the closure of BioWare stems from a company decision to support only one costly sci-fi action project under severe financial pressures. EA is carrying $18 billion in debt following a $55 billion leveraged buyout by Saudi Arabia, making management favor the lower-risk profile of a Star Wars title over Mass Effect 5.
EA Cuts BioWare Staff After Commercial Setbacks
The strategic pivot away from BioWare follows a series of commercial setbacks for the studio, including Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Following the launch of The Veilguard, EA reduced BioWare’s headcount down to roughly 50 employees who were assigned to work on Mass Effect 5. Bloomberg reported that the latest corporate restructuring eliminates 400 jobs across EA, affecting about 3% of total staff. BioWare’s Austin office remains operational to support various ongoing EA game projects.
Greg Zeschuk, co-founder of BioWare alongside Ray Muzyka before their 2012 departure, told IGN that the Saudi Public Investment Fund’s private buyout of EA served as “the final nail in the coffin.” Zeschuk stated that the corporate shift makes it easier for the parent company to prioritize annual sports releases over complex, time-intensive games. Despite the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of Mass Effect 5, Amazon’s television adaptation of Mass Effect for Prime Video remains in active development.
Leaked Mass Effect 5 Trailer Sparks Public Pushback
An internal BioWare development trailer for Mass Effect 5 circulated online following the studio’s closure. IGN verified that the footage was created last year exclusively for EA leadership and was never intended for public release. The clip includes familiar franchise elements such as weaponry, powers, alien species, a galaxy map, space travel, a nightclub, and a sex scene.
Public pushback against the studio’s closure has grown, with a petition to save the Mass Effect franchise approaching 300,000 signatures. EA has not indicated any willingness to part ways with the dormant intellectual property. Meanwhile, Star Wars: Battlefront 3 remains in development across Respawn and DICE with no public release date announced.