US: Electronic Arts to close BioWare, cut 400 jobs

American video game company, Electronic Arts (EA) is closing BioWare, the studio behind the Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Baldur’s Gate franchises, as part of a restructuring that will cost about 400 jobs worldwide.

Bloomberg reported on Wednesday that the cuts represent an estimated 3 per cent of the American video game giant’s workforce. About 50 of the affected positions are at BioWare.

The closure also ends early development of the next “Mass Effect” game, which had been in the works at the studio.

Chief Operating Officer David Tinson and Chief Studios Officer and President Cam Weber announced the decision in a memo to staff, which Bloomberg obtained. They said the company had “taken a hard look at our business” over the last several months, and that several projects would be cut as a result.

“Across our portfolio, we’re making deliberate choices to align talent and investments where we see the greatest opportunities for players and long-term growth,” Tinson and Weber wrote.

EA said it would continue to invest in sports and action-adventure titles, citing “Apex Legends” as an example.

In a statement reacting to the closure, a BioWare spokesperson wrote, “For more than 30 years, BioWare has been more than a studio. It has been a home for storytellers, developers, and the players who brought our worlds to life.”

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The statement recalled some of the studio’s best-known projects: “Baldur’s Gate,” “Neverwinter Nights,” “Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic,” “Dragon Age,” “Mass Effect” and “Anthem.”

“Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next ‘Mass Effect’ project is ending,” the statement continued. “There is nothing easy about writing those words. Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games and supporting one another through this transition.”

The announcement comes just over two months after EA went private. The company completed a $55 billion buyout led by Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake and Jared Kushner’s Affinity Partners.

The consortium acquired 100 per cent of the company, with PIF rolling over its 9.9 per cent stake.

Announcing the completion of the deal, EA’s Chief Executive Officer, Andrew Wilson, said in a statement at the time: “This moment recognizes the extraordinary people whose creativity, ambition and passion have made EA one of the world’s leading interactive entertainment companies. We’re entering this next chapter from a position of strength with partners who share our vision and ambition. Together, we’ll invest boldly, accelerate innovation and build the next generation of games and experiences for the hundreds of millions of players and fans who inspire us every day.”