One of the most influential RPG developers of all time is no more. And just like that, another beloved gaming studio is closing its doors for good.
Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that powerful video game publisher Electronic Arts is shutting down RPG studio BioWare, which had been around in some form or another since 1995. This move came as part of a wider layoff of around 400 employees. According to reporter Jason Schreier, BioWare’s headcount at the end was around 50.
Minutes after Bloomberg broke the news, the BioWare X account shared a heartfelt message with gamers:
Mashable Top Stories
By clicking Sign Me Up, you confirm you are 16+ and agree to our Terms of Use and Privacy Policy.
You May Also Like
This Tweet is currently unavailable. It might be loading or has been removed.
Whether or not you’ve ever played a BioWare game, you’ve most likely heard of them or played something inspired by them. The studio made its name in the late 90s and early 2000s with hit RPGs like the original Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and Neverwinter Nights.All of those games, as well as the studio’s later works, helped pioneer and popularize storytelling that was shaped by player choices.
BioWare arguably hit the apex of its popularity in the late 2000s and early 2010s with the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series. Both franchises saw massive success early on before waning a bit with controversial entries like Andromeda and Veilguard, but you do not have to look far on the internet to find people who love every single game BioWare made. A new Mass Effect was in the works at BioWare when the studio was shut down, but that title has been canceled, per Bloomberg.
Some gamers will argue that this development was inevitable given the events of the past few years. As Variety and Bloomberg reported last year, after the release of Veilguard,EA laid off some BioWare employees. EA was recently acquired by the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund. Cuts were always a possibility after a big acquisition like that, and BioWare evidently found itself in the crosshairs once more.Recommended deals for you
HBO Max
—
top pick for premium content
Disney+
—
best for families
Hulu
—
popular choice for originals
Peacock
—
low-cost choice for live sport
Products available for purchase through affiliate links. If you buy something through links on our site, Mashable may earn an affiliate commission.
Alex Perry is a tech reporter at Mashable who primarily covers video games and consumer tech. Alex has spent most of the last decade reviewing games, smartphones, headphones, and laptops, and he doesn’t plan on stopping anytime soon. He is also a Pisces, a cat lover, and a Kansas City sports fan. Alex can be found on Bluesky at <a href="http://yelix.bsky.social” rel=”nofollow noopener” target=”_blank”>yelix.bsky.social.
