About 400 EA Workers Face Job Cuts Worldwide as BioWare Closes After More Than 30 Years

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the studio behind the Mass Effect and Dragon Age role-playing franchises, and the restructuring around it will eliminate 400 or so positions, equal to roughly 3% of EA's workforce, and about 50 of those are at BioWare, according to Bloomberg. The decision came in a memo to EA employees Wednesday from Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO, and it means the company is closing the studio and its Edmonton workspace. So the headline figure is company-wide, not one studio's. For Metaintro readers who make games in Canada or anywhere EA operates, this guide sets out what the memo actually contains, how many jobs are involved and where, and what Alberta's employment rules and Canada's Employment Insurance program offer someone whose role ends.

What Did EA Announce About BioWare?

A small team at BioWare had been working on early development for the next Mass Effect, and the executives wrote that they had "made the decision not to move forward with this development, which means we're closing the studio and our Edmonton workspace."

Weber and Tinson called BioWare a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre and added, "we do not take this decision lightly."

BioWare confirmed the closure in its own statement the same day. BioWare's farewell post said "BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending" and that its focus is on "our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition."

The project was first revealed in 2020 and remained in early development six years later.

For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio, the BioWare team said in its farewell post, according to the Variety report on the EA memo.

How Many Jobs Are Being Cut, and How Many Are at BioWare?

The two numbers in the coverage measure different things. The larger one is company-wide, with EA set to eliminate roughly 400 positions company-wide, about 50 of them at BioWare.

Neither figure comes from the memo itself. EA's memo did not contain specific layoff numbers, and the 3% share comes from a person familiar with the company's plans cited by Bloomberg. About 50 of the affected roles are reportedly at BioWare.

The size of the company gives the share its meaning. Measured against a global workforce of around 14,500 employees, the cuts affect around 400 staffers, or roughly 3 per cent of EA's global workforce.

Other teams are changing too. EA is pausing development on Project Lotus to help prioritise Project Evergreen for The Sims, and for skate. it is making changes to the studio to have a more focused, smaller team. EA's memo gives no layoff numbers, so it does not say how the cuts split across teams or countries.

Why Is EA Closing BioWare Now?

This is EA's first major move since going private this summer. EA's acquisition by PIF, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners closed on August 4, 2026, and shareholders were due $210 in cash for each share of EA common stock. The deal was valued at about $55 billion, a buyout that left game developers bracing for change when it closed.

The buyout added debt, and EA also has a savings goal. The deal left EA carrying roughly $18 billion of debt, according to Bloomberg, and EA now aims to save up to $700 million, partly by lowering research and development spending.

EA's own explanation is different. EA's memo did not explicitly tie Wednesday's layoffs to the acquisition or its financing. Weber and Tinson wrote that "Players have more choices than ever for their time and attention, competition is intensifying," and that EA will "concentrate our efforts on fewer simultaneous, large-scale projects" in action-adventure.

Industry observers had predicted BioWare to be the top candidate for restructuring even before the company went private. BioWare's latest title, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, fell short of sales expectations, prompting EA to impose steep cuts at the studio last year. The closure is also the latest in a series of cuts at EA, which in May 2025 canceled a planned Black Panther game and shut down Seattle-based Cliffhanger Games. Elsewhere in gaming, Xbox staff face reported layoff waves in October, November and January. Microsoft's Xbox plans to cut about 3,200 jobs in total, with more layoff rounds possibly on the way.

Where Is EA Putting Its Money Instead?

EA's memo sets out plans for shooters, action-adventure, sports and lifestyle games. In shooters, EA will be "bringing together our Respawn and DICE studios to collaborate on a future project," a shooter project that multiple reports identified as Star Wars: Battlefront 3. EA is also continuing to invest heavily in Apex with new gameplay modes.

In action-adventure, the two named launches are Marvel's Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game. At EA Sports, two new projects are in development, including an open-world American football game called Project Gridiron, and EA is in pre-production to bring back fan-favorite boxing game Fight Night after a 15-year hiatus.

EA's three priorities are deepening investment in its biggest franchises, expanding into new markets and platforms, and developing new ways for sports fans to interact with teams and athletes. The expansion priority covers new platforms, markets and business models, and names Asia as one example, where success means building experiences that reflect local players, cultures, and expectations.

EA has pledged that "we will support impacted employees in exploring other opportunities within EA," and that it is "committed to treating impacted colleagues with care and respect." EA will discuss its direction "at our next Global Town Hall in November."

What Did BioWare Build Over More Than 30 Years?

BioWare was founded in 1995 and was acquired by EA in 2007. Its catalogue includes Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Anthem, alongside Dragon Age and Mass Effect.

The later years were harder. BioWare received harsh criticism for Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017, and its 2019 live-service game Anthem was a commercial failure. Its most recent game, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, was released in 2024.

The franchises themselves do not disappear. EA still owns the Mass Effect and Dragon Age IP, and no details were given on the status of the Mass Effect TV series currently in production at Amazon.

Saying no to some things we're passionate about allows us to focus our teams and resources so we give our biggest opportunities everything they need to succeed, Weber and Tinson wrote in the memo published by Variety.

What Notice or Termination Pay Does Alberta Law Require?

BioWare's Edmonton workspace is in Alberta, where the province's termination and lay-off rules set minimum standards. For staff in Alberta, employers who end someone's job without cause must give written notice, termination pay instead of notice, or a mix of the two, and the province keeps the full list of exceptions on its termination page.

The minimum notice depends on length of service, as set out on the province's termination and lay-off page:

• 1 week for more than 90 days but less than 2 years.
• 2 weeks for 2 years but less than 4 years.
• 4 weeks for 4 years but less than 6 years.
• 5 weeks for 6 years but less than 8 years.
• 6 weeks for 8 years but less than 10 years.
• 8 weeks for 10 years or more.

The rules also protect pay during that window. Once notice is given, the employer cannot reduce earnings or any other terms or conditions of employment.

Final pay has deadlines too. Employers must pay final earnings within 10 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which termination occurred, or 31 calendar days after the last day of employment, and that final cheque must include vacation pay earned but not yet paid and termination pay. For questions about severance pay, the province points workers to the Law Society of Alberta Lawyer Directory or Pro Bono Law Alberta.

When Does a Layoff Count as a Group Termination in Alberta?

Alberta has a separate rule for larger cuts at one site. If an employer intends to end the employment of 50 or more employees at a single location within a 4-week period, it must give the minister responsible for Employment Standards written notice of at least 4 weeks. If that is not possible, the employer can provide written notice as soon as reasonable in the circumstances.

That notice goes to the government, not to staff. Group notice to the affected employees is not required but employers must provide individual termination notices to affected employees.

The group process also opens a door to support. As part of it, the province provides an overview of available provincial and federal services and programs, and those services include presentations, workshops and referrals developed with employers and employees. Employee supports include Alberta Supports and the How to Cope with Job Loss and What to Do First After Job Loss guides.

Can Laid-Off BioWare Staff Claim Employment Insurance?

For staff in Canada, qualifying for EI regular benefits from the Government of Canada means you need to have been employed in insurable employment, to have lost your job through no fault of your own, and to be ready, willing and capable of working each day.

The hours test depends on where you live. Claimants need between 420 and 700 hours of insurable employment during the qualifying period, based on the regional unemployment rate. Claimants must also have been without work and without pay for at least 7 consecutive days in the last 52 weeks.

There is an ongoing job-search duty. Claimants must be actively seeking work and keeping a written record of the employers they contact, including when they contact them, and must complete EI reports every 2 weeks. Workers are encouraged to apply for Employment Insurance (EI) benefits as soon as possible and let the government decide eligibility.

One document matters early. Employers must submit a Record of Employment for their employees to qualify for Employment Insurance benefits, so it is worth checking that it has been filed.

Where Are Canada's Game Development Jobs?

Canada had 34,010 game developers (full-time equivalents or FTEs) staffed at 821 active studios across Canada, according to a Nordicity study for the Entertainment Software Association of Canada published in January 2025.

Alberta had 810 employees, 68 studios, compared with Quebec at 15,220 employees, 257 studios and British Columbia at 10,930 employees, 146 studios. Quebec, Ontario and B.C. together represented 83 percent of the country's total developer pool.

The same study also tracked pay. Average annual salaries across all roles rose 21 percent to $102,000 compared with ESAC's 2021 report.

What This Means for Game Developers, and What Should You Do Next?

The first thing to get straight is the number. About 400 is an EA-wide figure that comes from Bloomberg, not the memo, and only about 50 of those are at BioWare. If you work at another EA studio, the memo's project list shows which games the company is backing.

Second, in action-adventure the memo commits EA to fewer simultaneous, large-scale projects. If you are weighing an internal move, the projects the memo names include future Battlefield titles, the Respawn and DICE collaboration, Apex, Marvel's Iron Man, the next Star Wars Jedi game, the FC franchise, Project Gridiron, Fight Night and Project Evergreen for The Sims.

Practical steps if your role is affected (the notice, final pay and EI steps apply to staff in Alberta and Canada):

• Ask about internal moves first. EA has promised to support impacted employees in exploring other opportunities within EA, so ask your leader which teams are hiring before your end date.
• Check your notice in writing. Match your years of service to Alberta's minimum notice table and confirm the termination date on your letter.
• Watch the final pay deadline. Final earnings are due within 10 calendar days after the end of the pay period in which termination occurred, or 31 calendar days after the last day of employment, and the employer chooses which deadline applies.
• File for EI quickly. Apply as soon as possible, and keep a written record of every employer you contact.
• Look beyond Edmonton. Quebec, Ontario and B.C. held 83 percent of the country's total developer pool in the January 2025 study.

The franchises outlive the studio, since EA still owns the Mass Effect and Dragon Age IP.

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People Also Asked

Q: How many jobs is EA cutting, and how many are at BioWare?

A: EA is cutting 400 or so positions, equal to roughly 3% of EA's workforce, with about 50 at BioWare, and EA's memo did not contain specific layoff numbers.

Q: Is the next Mass Effect game cancelled?

A: Yes, early development is ending, with BioWare saying that early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending, although EA still owns the Mass Effect and Dragon Age IP.

Q: How much notice must an Alberta employer give a laid-off worker?

A: For staff in Alberta terminated without cause, the province requires written notice, termination pay or a mix, starting at 1 week for more than 90 days but less than 2 years of service and rising to 8 weeks for 10 years or more, and the province lists the full exceptions on its termination page.

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