BioWare, Edmonton's legendary RPG studio, is shutting down after 31 years

Electronic Arts is permanently shutting down BioWare, the Edmonton-based video game studio that created the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises. The company announced the closure Wednesday, October 21, ending three decades of operation.

BioWare was founded in 1995 by three newly graduated medical doctors—Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk, and Augustine Yip. It became one of Canada's most celebrated game developers, specializing in role-playing games that earned devoted global audiences. The company joined Electronic Arts in 2007.

EA's decision affects roughly 50 staff members at the Edmonton workspace, part of a broader restructuring at the American publisher. The company had previously announced layoffs in January 2025 without disclosing exact numbers affected. In 2023, BioWare laid off 50 staff.

"What generations of BioWare built together is something to celebrate and remember," BioWare said in its social media announcement. "These games became so much more because you played them, debated your choices, fell in love with the characters, and made these worlds your own."

Development on the next Mass Effect game is also ending, though no details were provided on how far along the project had progressed. The closures mark the end of an era for a studio that shaped role-playing games over three decades and cemented Edmonton as a centre for game development.