EA closes BioWare and cancels the next Mass Effect

[Attention Griffin]

One of gaming's most famous studios is closing. VGC's Andy Robinson reports that EA is shutting down BioWare and cancelling early work on the next Mass Effect game. BioWare announced the news on social media, looking back on a history that includes Baldur's Gate, Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem

According to Bloomberg, a staff letter from chief operating officer David Tinson and chief studios officer Cam Weber says EA is cutting about 400 jobs, roughly three percent of its workforce, including around 50 at BioWare. The news comes two months after the 55 billion dollar leveraged buyout that took EA private, leaving it with about 18 billion dollars of debt. EA had already promised 700 million dollars in savings

GameSpot has rounded up the other big changes. A new Sims project called Project Lotus has been dropped in favour of another called Project Evergreen. Skate will be run by a smaller team, and VGC reports that many staff have left its studio, Full Circle. An open world American football game called Project Gridiron has been revealed

There was some good news amid the cuts. The Iron Man game is continuing and a new Star Wars Jedi game is confirmed, although the Black Panther game appears to have been cancelled. Battlefield and EA's sports series remain at the heart of the company's plans

For anyone who grew up with Mass Effect and Dragon Age, this is a sad day. BioWare made some of the best story driven RPGs ever, and its characters still mean a lot to players. Hopefully the talented people affected land somewhere that values the kind of games they make

What is your favourite BioWare game? And is there any future for Mass Effect without BioWare?

Ea Is Closing Bioware And Cancelling The Next Mass Effectwww.videogameschronicle.com