Reported by 4 outlets
The story so far
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Electronic Arts shut down storied developer BioWare and cancelled Mass Effect 5 after opting to prioritize a new Star Wars Battlefront title instead, according to a report from Bloomberg's Jason Schreier. Saddled with $18bn in debt following a recent leveraged buyout, EA faced a choice between two sci-fi games each expected to cost hundreds of millions of dollars. Executives viewed Star Wars Battlefront 3 as a less risky and more predictable commercial bet than a new Mass Effect, leading to the studio's closure even though development on the new Battlefront has not yet begun. [2][3][4]
The decision followed years of commercial strain and shifting leadership at the publisher. BioWare had struggled with the reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda, the failure of Anthem, and missed sales targets for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Longtime BioWare advocate Laura Miele was also reportedly sidelined in favor of EA Sports executives David Tinson and Cam Weber. By the time EA shuttered the studio, only around 50 employees remained, with many developers already reassigned across the company. An EA spokesperson stated the move followed months of planning to focus teams on the company's biggest future opportunities. [2][3][4]
A new report has revealed that EA closed BioWare because it was forced to choose between investing in one of two sci-fi projects: a new Mass Effect game or a new Star Wars Battlefront game. And it chose the latter.
via Eurogamer
Mass Effect 5 was reportedly sacrificed in favour of Star Wars Battlefront III as EA moved to close BioWare and focus on lower-risk blockbuster franchises. The post EA reportedly abandoned Mass Effect 5 for Star Wars first appeared on KitGuru.
via KitGuru
EA's decision to shut down BioWare and cancel the next Mass Effect installment, the ambitious Universe, reportedly came down to a choice between funding its production or another expensive sci-fi project: Star Wars Battlefront 3, which is being made by DICE and Respawn. The news comes from Bloomberg’s Jason Schreier, who learned that the publisher chose Star Wars as financial pressure pushed it toward what executives considered the safer bet.
via Wccftech