Electronic Arts (EA) is shutting down BioWare, the studio behind some of gamingā€™s most celebrated role-playing franchises, and ending early development on the next Mass Effect game. The move is part of a wider restructuring that will eliminate around 400 jobs, or roughly 3% of EA's workforce, according to Bloomberg.Electronic Arts (EA) is shutting down BioWare. (Bloomberg)Also Read: San Francisco techie takes down zombie video game that let players kill homeless people: 'It showed poor judgment'BioWare bids farewellIn a social media post Wednesday, BioWare said, "Now, after more than three decades of shared adventures, BioWare is closing and early development on the next Mass Effect project is ending."ā€œThere is nothing easy about writing those words.

Our focus right now is on our incredibly talented team who put their hearts into these games, and supporting one another through this transition."BioWare built its reputation with games such as Baldurā€™s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Mass Effect. Its later release, Anthem, took the studio in a different direction.EA will also close BioWareā€™s Edmonton workspace.

According to reports, around 50 of the planned job cuts will affect BioWare employees.Also Read: Xbox exec Brandon Stirrup admits widespread AI use in gaming industry despite negative sentiment: ā€˜I could be firedā€™Why EA is making the changesIn a memo to staff, Chief Studios Officer Cam Weber and COO David Tinson said the company reviewed its business over recent months. ā€œWeā€™ve taken a hard look at our business, how we operate, and what it will take to lead in this next era of interactive entertainment."They added that EA challenged assumptions and made deliberate choices ā€œto deliver exceptional experiences for our players and to drive sustained growth.ā€As part of that review, EA decided not to continue the next Mass Effect project, which was still in early development. "BioWare is a legendary studio that helped define the role-playing genre, and we do not take this decision lightly.ā€The decision comes about months after EA completed its $55 billion sale to a group led by Saudi Arabiaā€™s Public Investment Fund, which took the company private and left it with significant debt.