That's it for BioWare. Electronic Arts shut down the legendary RPG studio on October 21st, canceling the next Mass Effect. Simultaneously, EA is announcing more Battlefield content and plans to team up DICE and Respawn. For us shooter fans, this is the most exciting part of the news.
What Did EA Say About BioWare's Closure?
The news was communicated via email to the staff, signed by Cam Weber (Chief Studios Officer) and COO David Tinson. Regarding BioWare, the message essentially stated: A small team had been working on the early development of Mass Effect. EA has decided not to pursue it further. Consequently, the studio, along with its Edmonton location, will be closed. EA referred to BioWare as a legendary studio that helped shape the role-playing genre.
Concurrently, Bloomberg reports that approximately 400 jobs across the entire group will be eliminated. According to Kotaku, about 50 people at BioWare were affected, accounting for roughly 12.5 percent of the layoffs. EA justified this by stating they want to say “no” to certain projects to fully pursue their biggest opportunities with full force.
BioWare was founded in 1995 and acquired by EA in 2007. The Mass Effect trilogy and the initial Dragon Age games established it as an RPG powerhouse. However, things went downhill thereafter: Andromeda was poorly received in 2017, the live-service experiment Anthem flopped, and its servers were shut down this year. According to EA, Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024) “underperformed.”
What Does EA's Restructuring Mean for Battlefield?
This is where it gets interesting for us. EA's plan for its shooter portfolio highlights two key points: “More Battlefield, more Apex Legends” and the stated intention to bring Respawn and DICE together for a future project. "More Battlefield" signifies that the brand is one of the pillars EA intends to focus on. The exact details of this approach were not disclosed in the communication. There have been no reactions from DICE or the Battlefield Studios yet.
EA did not provide a name for the collaborative project. However, Kotaku writes that it is reportedly a new Star Wars Battlefront 3. This remains a rumor and not a confirmation. We had previously reported on the rumor concerning Star Wars Battlefront 3 involving DICE and Respawn. What's new is that EA has now officially confirmed the collaboration between the two studios, even if without a specific title.
What Games Will EA Still Make Going Forward?
- Shooters: more Battlefield and Apex Legends, plus the collaborative project from DICE and Respawn
- Action-Adventure: Marvel’s Iron Man and the third Star Wars Jedi installment are still in development; furthermore, EA intends to focus on fewer large-scale projects simultaneously
- Sports: EA Sports FC, the football title “Project Gridiron,” and the return of Fight Night
- Sims: “Project Lotus” is paused; instead, Maxis is reportedly working on “Project Evergreen,” according to Kotaku
- Skate: The team at Full Circle is being downsized
Why Is This Happening Now?
Since August, EA has been owned by a consortium comprising the Saudi sovereign wealth fund PIF, alongside Silver Lake and Affinity Partners. The deal was valued at 55 billion US dollars. PC Gamer highlights the 20 billion dollars in debt the company now has to shoulder as a result. Kotaku reminds readers of reports that EA had promised investors 700 million dollars in annual savings.
From our perspective, the message for Battlefield fans is a double-edged sword. The brand appears secure, and a studio collaboration between DICE and Respawn sounds like a breath of fresh air. Simultaneously, the BioWare situation demonstrates that everything at EA is currently under intense scrutiny. Battlefield, too, will be held to high expectations. For an update on the current state of the shooter, you can refer to our report on Season 5 of Battlefield 6.
Source: PC Gamer, PC Gamer, Kotaku
What do you hope for from the collaborative project between DICE and Respawn? Let us know in the comments!
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