An era has ended: the BioWare studio is set to be closed for good

This company needs no special introduction. Every gamer knows at least something about Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. For over 30 years, BioWare set the standards of the role-playing genre, experimented, and, on top of that, made audiences fall in love with virtual worlds, only to later disappoint them in those worlds. It has just been announced that the new owners of publisher Electronic Arts have decided to shut down the famous studio. In other words, the next installment of Mass Effect may no longer be worth waiting for.

Recently, the whole world was rocked by the news that Electronic Arts has changed owners — the publisher was acquired by a company from Saudi Arabia. This led to a business restructuring, mass layoffs, and the dissolution of some studios from EA's portfolio. Now the process has reached the creators of Mass Effect, who, among other things, contributed to the creation of the popular MMORPG Star Wars: The Old Republic and the now-shuttered online shooter Anthem. The next wave of layoffs will affect about 400 people, and the Canadian developers' office in Edmonton will close its doors for good.

In a memo drafted by EA executives Tim Weber and David Tinson, it is stated that the company's resources will henceforth be focused on three strategic directions. Only the most profitable franchises will remain in the portfolio, including sports simulators, product reach will be expanded, and the already-begun business transformation will be completed. The latter point also implies that EA will invest only in those teams that demonstrate real potential. Apparently, the Canadian developers have not demonstrated that potential for quite some time. However, they will partly join the divisions working on Star Wars and comic book games.