Modifications had been at all times going to be in retailer for Digital Arts after the company went private and its new homeowners saddled it with $20 billion of debt. EA introduced some alterations to the enterprise on Wednesday, which embody layoffs and the shut down of Mass Impact and Dragon Age developer BioWare.
The studio had struggled lately after Anthem (which shut down earlier this year) and Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to satisfy gross sales expectations. EA, which purchased BioWare in 2007, stated a small workforce was within the early phases of labor on the next Mass Effect game. Nevertheless, it determined to cancel that mission and shut BioWare fully, together with its workplace in Edmonton, Alberta.
“BioWare is a legendary studio that helped outline the role-playing style, and we don’t take this choice frivolously,” a memo from EA co-presidents Cam Weber and David Tinson reads.
— BioWare (@bioware) October 21, 2026
General, EA is shedding round three % of its workforce, in response to Variety — roughly 400 folks. EA stated it’s going to assist affected employees “in exploring different alternatives” throughout the firm.
Among the many studios which are dropping employees is Skate developer Full Circle. The memo states the sport, which has been in early entry since September last year, has had “a whole lot of success” with bringing in gamers. Nonetheless, EA is “making adjustments to the studio to have a extra centered, smaller workforce to ship on a really clear roadmap for our neighborhood that we imagine will construct a more healthy and extra sustainable enterprise.”
At The Sims developer Maxis, EA is pausing improvement of what it calls “Venture Lotus” with the intention to funnel extra sources into one other initiative dubbed Venture Evergreen.
EA additionally touched on what’s forward for different studios. Together with engaged on Battlefield tasks and Apex Legends (which has extra multiplayer modes on the best way), Respawn and Cube are collaborating on a brand new shooter. In accordance with Selection‘s sources, that will probably be Star Wars: Battlefront 3. Rumors suggested this week that a number of studios had been within the operating to make that sport, together with Bungie, nevertheless it appears the sequence is staying inside EA. Cube was the developer of the final two Star Wars: Battlefront titles.
Elsewhere, after Marvel’s Iron Man and the subsequent Star Wars Jedi sport, EA says it’s going to “focus our efforts on fewer simultaneous, large-scale tasks” within the motion journey area. As for EA Sports activities, that division is bringing again the Combat Evening sequence whereas the American soccer workforce is engaged on a “brand-new, social-first open-world expertise.” EA plans to announce extra particulars about these tasks within the subsequent few months.
