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BioWare Edmonton shuts down, halting next Mass Effect

By Drooid · Oct 22, 2026, 2:03 AM UTC · How we work

Summary

EA Announces Layoffs

BioWare studio in Edmonton is shutting down, halting early development of the next Mass Effect game.
EA announced about 400 layoffs in total, roughly 3% of its workforce, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
The $55 billion buyout left EA with $18 billion debt and a plan to save up to $700 million by cutting R&D.

Summary

EA Refocuses Projects

EA paused development of Project Lotus to redirect resources to Project Evergreen for The Sims.
EA announced a social-first open-world football experience called Project Gridiron.
EA entered pre-production to revive the Fight Night boxing series after a 15-year hiatus.
EA’s memo listed three strategic priorities: Deepen Our Core, Expand Our Reach, Transform Our Business.
Respawn and DICE will collaborate on a future project expected to be Star Wars: Battlefront 3.

History

Historical Context

Founded in 1995, BioWare was bought by Electronic Arts in 2007 during John Riccitiello’s “city-state” reorganization that promised studio autonomy. Repeated acquisitions and the 2008 economic downturn forced EA to cut staff repeatedly, and the October 21 2026 shutdown of BioWare Edmonton mirrors that long-standing pattern of aggressive expansion followed by costly downsizing.

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EA Announces Layoffs

BioWare studio in Edmonton is shutting down, halting early development of the next Mass Effect game.
EA announced about 400 layoffs in total, roughly 3% of its workforce, on Wednesday, Oct. 21, 2026.
The $55 billion buyout left EA with $18 billion debt and a plan to save up to $700 million by cutting R&D.

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