Report: EA shut down BioWare to fund Star Wars Battlefront III instead of the next Mass Effect

Now we know the main reason, at least according to Bloomberg. When EA shut down BioWare last week and ended work on the next Mass Effect, the big question was why. A new Bloomberg report from Jason Schreier, as summed up by VGC, GameSpot and Polygon, says it came down to Star Wars.

What the report says

• EA had the chance to make a third Star Wars Battlefront with Disney’s Lucasfilm.
• After its buyout, EA was carrying about $18 billion in debt. Reviewing its plans for the next few years, executives found two sci-fi action games each projected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars: Star Wars Battlefront III and BioWare’s next Mass Effect.
• ”They chose to invest in Star Wars and shut down BioWare as a result,” Bloomberg wrote, citing people familiar who spoke anonymously.
• Battlefront III hasn’t even started development yet. Executives reportedly saw it as a less risky, more predictable bet than a new Mass Effect, which was well into development.

Bloomberg also points to other factors: Mass Effect: Andromeda’s poor reception, Anthem’s failure, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which reportedly missed EA’s sales expectations by 50%. GameSpot notes the report also mentions corporate politics, saying senior EA executive Laura Miele, one of BioWare’s key advocates, was sidelined when EA Sports veterans David Tinson and Cam Weber were promoted.

Per Game Informer, only about 50 people were left at BioWare when it closed, all working on the next Mass Effect, after years of layoffs. VGC adds that Variety reported last week that EA told staff DICE and Respawn would work together on “a future project,” which is believed to be Battlefront III. EA hasn’t announced the game.

EA’s response

In a statement quoted by VGC, EA said it “collectively reached this decision following months of planning, review, and analysis, including careful consideration of evolving business conditions, industry dynamics, and our long-term priorities.” It added: “While this is never easy, we ultimately have to make tough decisions to focus our teams on the biggest opportunities for our future, including investing in new projects across our portfolio.” EA didn’t confirm the Star Wars details.

PPR take: Trading a Mass Effect that was years along for a Battlefront that doesn’t exist yet is a rough one to swallow. Losing the studio behind KOTOR and Mass Effect for it really stings.