Electronic Arts reportedly decided to prioritize Star Wars Battlefront 3 over the next Mass Effect, a decision that contributed significantly to the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of its long awaited science fiction RPG. According to Bloomberg's Jason Schreier, EA executives were evaluating 2 expensive projects when a new opportunity emerged with Lucasfilm to develop another Star Wars Battlefront game. Facing increasing financial pressure, the publisher reportedly considered the Star Wars franchise a safer commercial investment, despite Battlefront 3 not having entered active development.
The decision followed EA's $55 billion leveraged buyout, completed in August 2026 by an investment consortium led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. The transaction reportedly left the publisher carrying approximately $18 billion in debt, creating pressure to prioritize projects with more predictable financial returns. Both Mass Effect and Battlefront 3 were expected to require development budgets reaching hundreds of millions of dollars, making simultaneous investment increasingly difficult. At the time of BioWare's closure on October 21, approximately 50 developers remained at the studio, working on the next Mass Effect, reportedly titled Mass Effect Universe. Completing the RPG would have required significantly expanding the team or bringing in additional development resources.
Despite being announced in 2020, Mass Effect had experienced a lengthy development cycle, partly because its developers reportedly spent approximately 18 to 24 months helping complete Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including work on its final missions. The studio's recent commercial performance also influenced EA's assessment, following the mixed reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda, the unsuccessful live service ambitions of Anthem, and The Veilguard falling short of sales expectations. These challenges weakened BioWare's position as EA evaluated its future investment priorities.
Internal leadership changes reportedly complicated the situation further. Laura Miele, previously one of BioWare's strongest executive advocates within EA, was sidelined following a corporate restructuring that increased the influence of David Tinson and Cam Weber, both with extensive backgrounds in EA Sports. According to Bloomberg's sources, Miele had played an important role in defending BioWare and the Mass Effect franchise, making her reduced influence another potential factor in the studio's closure.
In its official restructuring announcement, EA confirmed that it would discontinue development of Mass Effect and close BioWare's Edmonton studio while bringing DICE and Respawn Entertainment together for a new shooter project. Although reports have identified that collaboration as Star Wars Battlefront 3, EA has not officially announced the title, its development schedule, or a release window. The publisher maintains that its restructuring followed months of strategic evaluation, without publicly confirming that Battlefront 3 directly replaced Mass Effect in its investment plans.
EA's reported decision highlights the growing financial challenges facing ambitious narrative driven RPGs, particularly when publishers must balance expensive development cycles against predictable commercial returns. Star Wars Battlefront offers considerable multiplayer potential, an established global audience, and opportunities for continued engagement, making it an understandable investment from a business perspective. However, canceling Mass Effect and closing BioWare also eliminates decades of experience in cinematic storytelling, character development, and player driven narratives. The biggest concern is not necessarily EA choosing one franchise over another, but the possibility that large publishers are becoming increasingly reluctant to invest in ambitious single player experiences that require longer development periods.
Did EA make the right business decision by choosing Star Wars Battlefront 3 over Mass Effect, or should BioWare have received another opportunity to revive its legendary RPG franchise?
