EA restructures its game development: BioWare closes, focus on Apex, Battlefield and Project Gridiron

Electronic Arts is reorganizing: in an open letter from studio head Cam Weber and COO David Tinson, EA lays out where money and teams will go in the future. The hardest decision hits BioWare: the storied studio is being closed, and the new Mass Effect has been stopped.

In this article

  1. BioWare is closing
  2. Shooters: Respawn and DICE team up
  3. Fewer big action-adventures at once
  4. EA Sports: Project Gridiron and Fight Night
  5. Confirmed or still open?

Apex Legends: Legenden in einer Arena
Apex Legends is set to get new multiplayer modes in the coming years (Image: EA/Respawn).

Apex Legends: Gefecht aus der Ego-Perspektive
EA wants to keep investing heavily in Apex Legends (Image: EA/Respawn).

Battlefield 6: Fahrzeug und Helikopter in der Wüste
EA sees Battlefield 6 as a big success (Image: EA).

Battlefield 6: Panzer in einer zerstörten Stadt
More Battlefield games are firmly planned (Image: EA).

Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Garrus
Garrus from Mass Effect, one of BioWare’s best-known characters (Image: EA/BioWare).

BioWare is closing, the new Mass Effect has been stopped

In the post „Building EA’s Next Chapter“ writes EAthat a small team at BioWare was working on a new Mass Effect in early development. That project will not continue, and with it EA is closing the studio and its Edmonton location. BioWare itself confirmed this on October 21, 2026 on its official blog and said goodbye to fans after more than 30 years.

Honestly, this hurts. Baldur’s Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and of course the Mass Effect trilogy shaped role-playing games like hardly any other studio. EA itself calls BioWare a „legendary studio“ and stresses that the decision was not made lightly.

Mass Effect Legendary Edition: Kampf mit Omni-Klinge
BioWare’s next Mass Effect will no longer be developed (Image: EA/BioWare).

Shooters: Respawn and DICE team up, Apex keeps getting money

On the shooter side, EA sees Battlefield 6 as a big success. Alongside more Battlefield games, Respawn and DICE are set to work together on a new project. EA isn’t revealing exactly what it will be yet, saying it wants to „share more when the time is right“.

Apex Legends remains a core pillar: EA wants to keep investing heavily over the next few years, with completely new multiplayer modes and further experiences that expand the universe.

Apex Legends: Karte aus der Vogelperspektive
New experiences are meant to expand the Apex universe (Image: EA/Respawn).

Official trailer for Battlefield 6

Fewer big action-adventures at once

EA calls action-adventure one of the toughest genres in the industry, where every game needs full support. The two big projects, Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi, will continue. After that, however, EA wants to focus on fewer big projects at the same time so that each one is truly well set up.

Battlefield 6: Soldaten im Straßenkampf
Respawn and DICE will work together on a project in the future (Image: EA).

EA Sports: Project Gridiron and the return of Fight Night

According to EA, EA Sports is working „from a position of strength“, and FC and the other sports series remain in place. There are two new projects: „Project Gridiron“, a new community-focused open-world game from the American football team, and a return of Fight Night, which is in pre-production. EA plans to show more of both in the coming months.

Confirmed or still open?

  • Confirmed: BioWare is closing, the early Mass Effect project has been cancelled.

  • Confirmed: further investment in Apex Legends and more Battlefield games.

  • Confirmed: After Iron Man and Star Wars Jedi, fewer big action-adventures at the same time.

  • Not yet revealed: the joint project from Respawn and DICE.

  • Not yet revealed: Project Gridiron and the new Fight Night, both only announced.

For me, it’s clear: EA will lean even harder on its big brands going forward. Hopefully that brings more polished games, but it costs creative variety. As soon as EA shows details on Project Gridiron or the Respawn-DICE project, I’ll keep you posted.