The well-known Edmonton-based game developer BioWare is set to close its doors, as announced by video game publisher Electronic Arts, marking the end of an era that has lasted over 30 years.
On Wednesday, BioWare shared the news of its closure via social media, following a Bloomberg report indicating that the company would be laying off 400 employees, with approximately 50 positions affected at BioWare.
Additionally, the studio confirmed that the forthcoming Mass Effect title, which would have been the fifth installment since 2007, has been cancelled.
Founded in 1995, BioWare became part of Electronic Arts (EA) in 2007.
“This is indeed a very sad day,” remarked Trent Oster, co-founder of BioWare, during an interview with CBC Radio. “More than 30 years ago, we created something that I believe was truly remarkable. It’s heartbreaking to see the dream come to an end.”
The California-based company, known for hit games like Battlefield and The Sims, recently completed a $55 billion US transaction involving its business, selling to Saudi Arabia’s sovereign wealth fund PIF, Silver Lake Partners, and Affinity Partners, the latter of which is led by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of former U.S. President Donald Trump.
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EA representatives have not yet responded to requests for comments regarding the layoffs.
“What generations of BioWare have created together is truly something to honor and cherish,” the studio expressed on social media. “These games evolved into so much more because you engaged with them, discussed your decisions, formed attachments to characters, and made these worlds uniquely yours.”
BioWare earned its reputation for crafting captivating role-playing experiences, ranging from fantasy adventures like Baldur’s Gate and Dragon Age to science fiction masterpieces such as Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect.
Oster, who currently serves as the CEO of gaming firm Beamdog, reminisced about BioWare’s early days, describing it as a magical environment.
“We transitioned from a group of inexperienced individuals just trying to create a game for fun to becoming the best in the world at what we did,” he recalled. “During my time there, the team expanded from six to 420, leading to remarkable growth. It was truly an incredible experience.”
However, the studio’s later attempt to diversify into multiplayer shooters, such as 2019’s Anthem, deviated from its strength in crafting engaging single-player stories. It struggled to attract the dedicated audience that sustains popular online games like Fortnite and Overwatch.
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At the same time, the most recent entries in BioWare’s flagship franchises — 2017’s Mass Effect: Andromeda and the upcoming Dragon Age: The Veilguard set for 2024 — received mixed feedback and left many fans feeling let down.
Before the announcement of BioWare’s closure, a new installment of Mass Effect was already in the works.
