BioWare Is Closed and Mass Effect 5 Is Cancelled

Electronic Arts has closed BioWare, the studio behind some of the most celebrated role-playing games of the past three decades. According to the report, EA made the call under its new ownership, which includes Saudi and private investors, and concluded the studio no longer had a place in the company's plans.

The most immediate casualty is Mass Effect 5, which has been cancelled. The studio also built Dragon Age and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and helped create or shape the Baldur's Gate series. Over 31 years, BioWare became a defining name in the genre, with its branching stories, deep character systems and player choices setting a standard that many other developers have since chased.

For longtime fans, the news is hard to take. Many players grew up with BioWare's games and have spent years debating their endings, companions and choices. The loss of a studio with that kind of reputation also raises questions about what EA's ownership change will mean for the rest of its portfolio and for the people who worked on these franchises.

The details available so far are limited, and the report does not say how many staff are affected or whether any of the existing games will receive further support.