EA to Cut 400 Jobs, Close BioWare and Cancel Mass Effect
The closure ends development of the next Mass Effect and comes as Electronic Arts cuts roughly 3% of its workforce following a change in ownership.
By Hushread Stories, written with AI from 8 outlets · First published 21 Oct 2026
In brief
- Electronic Arts plans to cut about 400 jobs as part of a broader effort to reduce costs.
- The company has confirmed that BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, will close.
- The next Mass Effect game is canceled, ending development of another installment in the studio's flagship series.
- A planned Sims project is also canceled, extending the impact of the cuts beyond BioWare's games.
- The cuts affect roughly 3% of staff and follow a recent change in Electronic Arts ownership.
Timeline · 4 moments
Planned Sims project also canceled in wider reductions
The Next Web ↗Next Mass Effect canceled as part of cuts
IGN ↗Electronic Arts confirms BioWare will shut down
The Verge - All Posts Tech ↗Electronic Arts job cuts put about 400 roles at risk
Bloomberg Technology ↗How it started
Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and cutting about 400 jobs. Bloomberg Technology reported the decisions on October 21, along with the cancellation of the next Mass Effect game.
BioWare is known for Mass Effect and Dragon Age, as well as Star Wars: Knight of the Old Republic, according to The Verge. Its closure ends more than three decades of game development, Eurogamer reported.
How it unfolded
The October 21 report from Bloomberg Technology tied BioWare's shutdown and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect to the wider job cuts at Electronic Arts.
The closure was not just an unconfirmed report. The Verge said Electronic Arts confirmed in a statement that BioWare was shutting down.
The reductions also reach beyond that studio. The Next Web reported on October 21 that a planned Sims project was canceled alongside the next Mass Effect. It put the job losses at about 400, or roughly 3% of staff.
The decisions follow a change in ownership. Eurogamer described the closure as coming months after a $55 billion buyout of Electronic Arts by a group of investment firms. elEconomista.es also placed the cuts after the ownership change and the company's removal from the stock market, reporting that Electronic Arts was reducing costs.
Where it stands
BioWare's closure is company confirmed, according to The Verge, and the next Mass Effect is canceled, according to Bloomberg Technology. The supplied reports describe the loss of a game still in development, not the withdrawal of an already released title.
The roughly 400 job losses are a companywide figure in the coverage. The Next Web does not provide a breakdown showing how many are at BioWare. Its report also identifies a planned Sims project as canceled, without naming that project in the supplied summary.
What to watch
The remaining questions concern implementation: when BioWare will close, when the job cuts take effect and how the losses are distributed across Electronic Arts. The supplied coverage does not establish those details or set out what happens next to the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises.
More in Gaming
All →
Final Fantasy Resonance Reviews Praise Classic Style, With Some Story Reservations
Reviews published on October 20 frame Square Enix's throwback RPG as a return to early Final Fantasy, although praise for its nostalgic appeal comes with reservations about its storytelling.
8 sources · today
GTA 6 Nears November Launch Amid Leaks, Trailer Reveal and Scams
Rockstar's new trailer keeps attention on the November 19 console launch, while reported PC plans, leaked footage and fake early access offers complicate the final month.
30 sources · over 9 days
GTA 6 Leaker Threatens Full Release as Rockstar Reveals Features
A reported plan to publish the full game escalates the GTA 6 leaks ahead of its November 19 launch, while Rockstar reveals official audio features and screenshots.
11 sources · over 4 days