"I would have never been here without BioWare igniting the fire in my heart."
Following the sudden closure of Bioware last night, people from across the games industry have shared their sympathies for those employees losing their jobs, and said farewell to one of the most influential RPG developers of all time.
The reactions come in many forms, with BioWare staff throughout the years looking back on their time at the studio and thanking their peers and fans for support. Game developers from other studios have paid tribute too, sharing their own tales of how Bioware impacted their careers.
"As much as it's not really a surprise," former Dragon age lead writer David Gaider on Bluesky, "especially given the industry right now coupled with the Saudi sale, the news today still made me sad ... BioWare joins other great studios of the past, with a legacy that will not soon be forgotten."
Former Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age lead James Ohlen also paid tribute to the studio, writing: "BioWare is closing. My 22 years there made me the man I am. The people affected today are some of the best RPG developers in the world. If you're hiring writers, designers, artists or engineers, start with them. Former BioWare folks: if an intro from me would help, reach out."
"This is sad news on multiple fronts," former Mass Effect boss and one-time BioWare general manager Casey Hudson added on X, "for those of us who worked there, for our friends and colleagues at BioWare who are impacted, and for fans who were looking forward to the next Mass Effect adventure.
"I started my career at BioWare and will forever be grateful to the founders, Greg and Ray, for inviting me to join in BioWare's legendary journey. Its legacy will live on through those who were part of it and continue to create games through a passion for unforgettable stories, worlds and characters."
"Remember BioWare is 100% owned by EA,” said Mark Darrah, former Dragon Age and Anthem executive producer in a YouTube video. “EA owns all the IPs. They own Dragon Age, they own Mass Effect, they own Jade Empire. That doesn’t change the situation, really, at all. [...] Now, there’s nobody working on a [BioWare] game, or games, within the EA organization, and chances are there never will be, which might make them more likely to sell off those IPs. But it might also make them more likely to just try to forget that they ever existed and bury them in the vault."
Trick Weekes, former narrative designer on the Mass Effect and Dragon Age series, posted a video from Mass Effect 3's Citadel DLC, in which Commander Shepard and their crew say a sombre farewell, while actor Mark Meer, the voice of male Shepard, shared his condolences and thanks with BioWare staff past and present.
Michael Gamble, who served as project director on the now-cancelled Mass Effect 5 until yesterday's layoffs also took to social media, thanking people for their support during his 17 years at the company, saying it "has meant everything to me."
While BioWare's closure prompted many studio alumni to share their thoughts, an outpouring of support and mourning came from outside the company too. "This is not something I ever expected to see," Swen Vincke, CEO of Baldur's Gate 3 developer Larian, wrote on social media. "Larian and Bioware started their trajectories in the games industry at the same time and Bioware led the way in making RPGs big. It's almost unimaginable that we're now entering an era where the name BioWare won't show up anymore when discussing upcoming RPGs. What a loss for all of us."
CD Projekt Red co-studio head Michał Nowakowski also recalled how important BioWare was to the Polish studio. "Bioware has been a massive part of CDPR history," he wrote. "We befriended them when localising and selling Baldur’s Gate games in Poland, Czech, and Slovakia. And later they were [a] great help when lending us their engine for Witcher 1, sharing their wisdom and even giving us a spot at their booth at E3. I had [the] pleasure to visit them a few times in Edmonton and also host them in our Warsaw office. Very sad for the people affected, but also sad to see a legendary brand go down. Not a great day in the games industry."
"Thank you for all the games. Thank you for the many hours of gameplay. Thank you for all the stories . You can be damned proud of what you achieved. I hope you all land well."
Nowakowski was joined by his peer Paweł Sasko, associate director of CD Projekt's upcoming Cyberpunk sequel, who revealed the importance of BioWare's games on his own career: "Baldur's Gate 1 and 2 shaped my imagination and the desire to create games. I would have never been here without BioWare igniting the fire in my heart. It inspired me, formed me, enriched my imagination, and for that I will be forever grateful. I will always remember you."
Dave Gilbert, founder of Old Skies and The Blackwell Legacy, similarly spoke of BioWare's impact on his career: "Eff me. Not Bioware, too. This one hurts more than most. I can't think of a studio that has had a bigger influence on me than this one. My dream was to be like them. I'll never stop feeling angry when studios with tremendous legacies just get bought and killed off for parts."
Some too had harsh words for EA and those behind Bioware's closure, alongside sympathy for those affected. Legendary immersive sim developer Warren Spector, for instance, decried the fact the development team had now been left "out in the cold with so many others."
"BioWare is more than just another studio," he continued. "For decades it’s played a central role in the history of our medium. They, for many years, as effectively as any studio, married art and commerce. Their work changed things. This is such bad news, such a devastating historic event all I can say is that it’s utter bullshit. Anyone who participated in this travesty should be ashamed.
"Actually, maybe all of the people who participated — the folks in suits (real or virtual) should lose their damn jobs. I ask them to ponder this: What do you contribute to gaming? What price do you pay for failure? I’d love to see THEM on the unemployment line instead of the people who do real work. Why is it always the do-ers and makers who pay the price? Someone explain that to me!"
Following news of BioWare's closure, EA confirmed other sweeping changes across the company, which will result in a total of 400 job cuts. While it did not explicitly name the other studios impacted by the move, employees have already started posting on social media, revealing the likes of Respawn, Maxis, Full Circle, EA Motive, and Ripple Effect have all been impacted. The layoffs come after EA was fully acquired by a consortium made up of Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, investment firm Silver Lake, and private equity company Affinity Partners for $55bn earlier this year.
Eurogamer wishes all those impacted by the layoffs the very best for the future.