Electronic Arts has decided to close BioWare, the historic studio based in Edmonton, as part of a restructuring plan that will lead to the layoff of about 400 people across the company. With the studio also goes the new chapter of Mass Effect, which was still in the early stages of development and will not be entrusted to any other internal team.

Of the approximately 400 employees involved, about fifty worked in BioWare. This is EA's first big move since the company came under the control of the new consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund (PIF), and it is unlikely to be the last: according to rumors, further cuts are expected in the next 12-18 months.

In a memo sent to employees, EA explains that the decision came at the end of an in-depth analysis of its business that lasted several months: "Across our portfolio, we are making thoughtful choices to focus talent and investments where we see the greatest opportunities for players and long-term growth."

The publisher has specified that it will continue to focus on sports games, also announcing the return of the boxing title Fight Night, as well as on productions such as Apex Legends, Battlefield and Star Wars Jedi, among others. The communication also refers to a new game that DICE and Respawn are working on, which could be the rumored Star Wars Battlefront 3.

The fate of BioWare, after all, had been in question for some time. About a year ago, the staff's concerns about the future of the studio had emerged and, according to sources, at one point EA had also considered selling it to another owner, but negotiations never made significant progress before the decision to close was made.

However, the cuts do not stop at BioWare. The team working on Skate will be downsized, while Project Lotus, a project belonging to The Sims franchise, has been canceled.

BioWare, for its part, wanted to greet fans with a message published on its social channels, in which it recalls how for over 30 years it has been a home for storytellers, developers and players who have brought its worlds to life, citing titles such as Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem. "Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare closes and the initial development of the next Mass Effect project stops. There is nothing easy about writing these words," the note reads.

The team explains that it wants to focus its energies now on supporting each other during this transition, turning a thought to the colleagues who have put their hearts into these games, and invites them to celebrate what has been built by generations of developers. A legacy that, the studio points out, has become something more thanks to players who have discussed their choices, fallen in love with the characters and made those worlds their own. The message closes with a thank you to the fans, defined as the most significant part of BioWare's history.