The shocking news of BioWare's closure and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect title earlier this week has stunned the industry, while EA's now-empty "Coming Soon" page on its official website adds a touch of awkwardness.
Earlier this week, the industry was shaken by major news: following its $55 billion acquisition by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, EA initiated layoffs affecting 400 employees and shut down BioWare, the developer behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series. For a gaming industry already facing a downturn, this was like adding frost to snow, and subsequent developments have only made matters worse.
Less than 24 hours after the news of BioWare's shutdown broke, insiders leaked a trailer for the next Mass Effect game, originally titled Mass Effect: Cosmos. This made everyone realize that the team had once held such a massive project in their hands, making the contrast with EA's current lineup even more lamentable.
On the social platform Bluesky, Lex Luddy, editor-in-chief of startmenu, reposted a user foxhack's post, highlighting the bleak state of EA's "Coming Soon" section. At the time of writing, there wasn't a single game listed in this category, which is particularly striking given that it's EA.
You might think this is just an administrative oversight, but the "Latest Games" list on the official website is kept up-to-date, indicating active maintenance. The news of the new Mass Effect game's cancellation drew attention to this page, but it remains unclear whether the game was ever actually listed there, as the Wayback Machine has no relevant historical archives.
While the empty "Coming Soon" page speaks volumes, it doesn't mean EA has no new titles in the pipeline. We know that Star Wars Jedi 3 and Motive Studios' Iron Man game are in development. EA recently confirmed that a new Battlefield game is in production, along with what appears to be a new Star Wars: Battlefront title. Additionally, new projects for The Sims are moving forward, and the annual sports franchise releases are also in preparation.
Even though EA does have quite a few games in development, this blank page serves as a harsh reminder that these titles are still a long way from release, as the development cycles for AAA games continue to lengthen. Even if Mass Effect: Cosmos were to launch, it likely wouldn't change this reality, but its cancellation has only added salt to an already painful wound in the industry.