EA Reportedly Closed BioWare To Invest In Developing Star Wars Battlefront III Instead Of The Next Mass Effect
Game Informer • • technology
Key Points:
- Electronic Arts (EA) shut down BioWare last week, ending development on the untitled fifth Mass Effect game, reportedly titled Mass Effect Universe, despite the project being well into development.
- According to Bloomberg, EA prioritized investing in Star Wars Battlefront III, a project with Disney that had not yet entered development, over continuing Mass Effect, leading to BioWare's closure.
- Additional factors contributing to BioWare's shutdown include poor reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017), the failure of Anthem (2019), and underwhelming sales of Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), despite positive reviews.
- Some speculate that BioWare's progressive LGBTQIA+ inclusive games conflicted with EA's ownership ties to Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund and other politically sensitive investors, though no official statements confirm this as a reason.
- Despite BioWare's closure, a Mass Effect TV series is still in development at Amazon, signaling the franchise's continuation outside of video games.
