Is Mass Effect 5 Canceled? EA Closes BioWare, Cuts About 400 Jobs

BioWare is closing. Electronic Arts told staff on Wednesday, October 21, 2026, that it won’t move forward with the next Mass Effect game, which means shutting the studio and its Edmonton workspace. The decision is part of a restructuring of EA’s studios that will cut roughly 400 jobs, about 3% of the 14,500 employees EA last reported, according to Variety.

The news came in one paragraph of a long memo from Cam Weber, EA’s president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO. It reads: “We’ve had a small team at BioWare working on early-development for Mass Effect. We’ve made the decision not to move forward with this development, which means we’re closing the studio and our Edmonton workspace.” BioWare posted its own goodbye the same day, listing Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, Mass Effect and Anthem.

IGN reports, citing Bloomberg, that about 50 people were working on the next Mass Effect and that BioWare’s Austin studio remains open to support other EA games. EA has not said what happens to the Mass Effect or Dragon Age brands. IGN also reports the Mass Effect series for Prime Video is still in development.

Leaked “Mass Effect: Universe” trailer

On October 22, a roughly two-minute clip titled Mass Effect: Universe started circulating online. It opens with a note that it was built from pre-production assets, follows a new N7-coated hero who isn’t Commander Shepard, and brings back Liara T’Soni. Kotaku says Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier confirmed through his sources that the trailer is real. Polygon could not verify it independently, and EA hasn’t commented. A Reddit post from an alleged EA employee had claimed a Mass Effect 5 trailer was ready a few months ago, which IGN says it understands to be true.

Kotaku notes it could have debuted on November 7, N7 Day, the series’ annual celebration. That timing is Kotaku’s inference, not something EA has said.

What else EA changed

The memo sets three priorities and reshuffles several teams. Respawn and DICE will work together on an unannounced shooter project (Variety’s sources say it is Star Wars: Battlefront 3, which EA has not confirmed). EA is keeping its two big action-adventure launches, Marvel’s Iron Man and the next Star Wars Jedi game, and it is pausing “Project Lotus” for The Sims to focus on “Project Evergreen.” The skate. team will be smaller. EA Sports is working on “Project Gridiron” and has a Fight Night revival in pre-production.

For players, the practical effect is that a Mass Effect sequel, if it ever comes, would have to come from EA’s own plans or a sale, not from BioWare. Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah told fans to be cautious about hoping for an IP sale, though IGN reports he thinks it is somewhat more likely now that EA is carrying debt from its $55 billion private-equity buyout. Eurogamer points out that, beyond sports and shooters, the only non-casual EA projects left in public view are the Jedi sequel and Iron Man.

Edited by Kerwin Stewart, Editor-in-Chief · How we report