TrendRundown › Entertainment · updated Oct 21, 2:12 PM EDT

Why is “BioWare” trending?

EA to shut down BioWare, cutting about 400 jobs

Electronic Arts is closing BioWare, the video game studio known for role-playing series such as Dragon Age and Mass Effect, according to reports from The Verge, Variety, and Bloomberg. The moves are part of a restructuring at the publisher, which is also laying off about 3% of its workforce.

Bloomberg, citing a person familiar with the plans who was not named, reported that the cuts total roughly 400 jobs and include around 50 people at BioWare. Variety's headline indicates the restructuring also involves Respawn and DICE, with those studios set to work on a Star Wars: Battlefront 3 project. The details of that role were given only in the headline, so the full scope is not clear from the available reporting.

Key facts

• Electronic Arts says it will shut down BioWare, per The Verge, Variety, and Bloomberg.
• The publisher plans to cut about 400 jobs, roughly 3% of its staff, according to Bloomberg.
• Bloomberg reports about 50 of the cuts are at BioWare; its source asked not to be named.
• Variety reports Respawn and DICE will work on Star Wars: Battlefront 3 as part of the restructuring.

What we don't know yet

It is not yet clear how the BioWare closure will affect games in the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, and the full details of the restructuring were not available in the sources reviewed.

Our summary of reporting by The Verge, Variety, Bloomberg.com. Written with AI assistance and checked against the sources; read the full stories at the links below. Updated Oct 21, 2:12 PM EDT.

More in Entertainment

All Entertainment topics →

Trend data

What the headlines say

• The VergeEA is shutting down BioWareOct 21, 1:19 PM EDT
• VarietyElectronic Arts Laying Off 3% of Employees in Studios Restructuring: BioWare Shutting Down, Respawn and DICE to Team on ‘Star Wars: Battlefront 3’Oct 21, 1:05 PM EDT
• Bloomberg.comElectronic Arts to Cut 400 Jobs, Shut Down BioWareOct 21, 1:00 PM EDT
• VarietyEA Layoffs Cut 3%, BioWare Shutting Down, Star Wars: Battlefront 3 in WorksOct 21, 1:00 PM EDT

How the story unfolded

• Oct 21, 1:00 PM EDT — Bloomberg.com: Electronic Arts to Cut 400 Jobs, Shut Down BioWare
• Oct 21, 1:00 PM EDT — Variety: EA Layoffs Cut 3%, BioWare Shutting Down, Star Wars: Battlefront 3 in Works
• Oct 21, 1:05 PM EDT — Variety: Electronic Arts Laying Off 3% of Employees in Studios Restructuring: BioWare Shutting Down, Respawn and DICE to Team on ‘Star Wars: Battlefront 3’
• Oct 21, 1:19 PM EDT — The Verge: EA is shutting down BioWare

Other trending topics