Ethan Crossfield 
Major publishers are increasingly concentrating their biggest budgets on fewer blockbuster franchises, and EA's reported decision involving BioWare is a stark example of that strategy. According to Bloomberg, EA elected to put its resources behind a potential Star Wars Battlefront III rather than continue funding BioWare's next Mass Effect game, a move reportedly connected to the studio's closure last week.
BioWare's final project was a new Mass Effect
BioWare had been developing an untitled fifth Mass Effect entry when EA closed the studio. The project was reportedly well into production, and material that surfaced after the shutdown suggested the game may have used the working title Mass Effect Universe. Composer Austin Wintory had also been working on music connected to the series, adding to the evidence that the sequel had advanced beyond an early concept stage. Only around 50 staff reportedly remained at BioWare at the time of the closure, with the team focused on the new Mass Effect after years of layoffs.
Why Battlefront III reportedly won EA's backing
Bloomberg reports that EA assessed its upcoming portfolio and saw two major science-fiction investments competing for support: a new Mass Effect and Star Wars Battlefront III. Although the Battlefront sequel had reportedly not yet entered development, EA chose to pursue the Star Wars opportunity with Disney instead of continuing the Mass Effect project. The report says that choice was a central reason for ending BioWare's work, while noting that other factors also contributed to the studio's shutdown.
BioWare's recent history shaped the decision
The report points to several difficult commercial and critical chapters in BioWare's recent catalogue. Mass Effect: Andromeda received a poor response in 2017, while Anthem failed after its 2019 release. Dragon Age: The Veilguard earned positive reviews in 2024 but reportedly fell short of EA's sales expectations by 50%. Those results left EA weighing another expensive Mass Effect production against a return to the Battlefront brand, one of the publisher's most recognizable licensed shooter series.
The Mass Effect brand is not entirely dormant
The end of BioWare and its game project does not mean Mass Effect has disappeared from EA's wider plans. An Amazon television adaptation remains in development, preserving a path for the universe outside games. However, Bloomberg's reporting indicates that the franchise's next game has been halted, while EA's reported focus shifts toward a possible Battlefront III.
Key points
- Bloomberg reports EA chose to invest in Star Wars Battlefront III over BioWare's next Mass Effect.
- BioWare was shut down last week, ending work on the in-development Mass Effect sequel.
- The Battlefront project reportedly had not entered development when EA made its decision.
- An Amazon Mass Effect television series is still in development despite the game's cancellation.
Expert View
If the report is accurate, EA's decision signals how valuable established licensed multiplayer brands remain in a high-cost development market. Battlefront offers immediate recognition through Star Wars, while Mass Effect requires a long single-player RPG production cycle after BioWare's recent commercial setbacks. For fans, the immediate impact is the loss of a major narrative RPG team and uncertainty around the franchise's gaming future. For the industry, it is another reminder that strong legacy brands do not guarantee protection when publishers reassess risk, scale, and expected returns.
