Recently, EA announced a major internal restructuring plan. BioWare is officially closing, and the new Mass Effect project, which was in early development, has been directly cancelled. Additionally, the new Sims title codenamed "Project Lotus" has been scrapped. Approximately 400 employees, representing 3% of the total workforce, are being laid off, including about 50 from BioWare's Edmonton studio.
BioWare is the legendary studio that defined the modern RPG genre, creating the Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect, and Dragon Age series. EA officially stated: "BioWare is a legendary studio that has shaped the RPG industry, and we did not make this decision lightly." Before its closure, BioWare had fewer than 100 employees, primarily focused on early development for the next Mass Effect title, which was terminated before entering full production.
EA completed a $55 billion leveraged buyout in August this year, becoming a private company burdened with significant debt. Management demanded cuts to R&D spending, aiming to reduce costs by up to $700 million. The underwhelming commercial performance of Dragon Age: The Veilguard also accelerated this business restructuring.
Overview of Project Changes in This Restructuring
BioWare & Mass Effect
BioWare is permanently closing, and the early-stage new Mass Effect project has been completely cancelled. While EA retains the IP rights for Mass Effect and Dragon Age, there are no current plans to reboot these franchises or sell the IPs. The fate of Amazon's Mass Effect TV series remains uncertain. BioWare issued a farewell statement: "We are more than just a studio; we are a shared home for creators and players. Our current priority is to properly support our laid-off employees."
The Sims Series
The new title codenamed Project Lotus has been directly cancelled. Another Sims project, codenamed Project Evergreen, has been retained and elevated to a priority development status.
Other Project Changes
The free-to-play skateboarding game skate has been retained, but its development team has been significantly reduced. Key resources are being allocated to Apex Legends, the EA SPORTS lineup, the sequel to Star Wars Jedi, and a new Marvel Iron Man title. Development on the Battlefield series continues, with Respawn and DICE collaborating on a new project, rumored to be Star Wars: Battlefront 3. Early preparations have begun for a new Fight Night fighting game, and a new open-world American football game has also been greenlit.
Following the news of BioWare's closure, numerous fans and industry developers posted tributes to the legendary studio. CDPR executives publicly expressed their regret, noting that BioWare had previously lent its game engine to aid in the development of the original The Witcher. Former BioWare writer Patrick Weekes speculated that the value orientation of the new controlling shareholders might have been a contributing factor to EA's decision to shut down BioWare.