EA execs choosing Star Wars Battlefront 3 over Mass Effect 5 was the main factor in BioWare’s demise, according to report
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
A Bloomberg report says EA’s decision to back Star Wars Battlefront 3 rather than Mass Effect 5 was the main factor behind BioWare’s closure. EA reportedly had to choose where to commit hundreds of millions of dollars, and favoured the established Star Wars franchise as a safer commercial bet.
The report also points to BioWare’s mixed releases since Mass Effect: Andromeda, including Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and changes among EA executives as possible contributing factors. Battlefront 3 development reportedly has not begun, while Respawn and DICE are expected to make it; EA said the decision followed months of planning and review.
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In short
- EA reportedly favoured Battlefront 3 over Mass Effect 5.
- The choice was made amid pressure to limit spending.
- BioWare’s recent releases and EA leadership changes may also have mattered.
How this story developed
- 2 minutes ago A Bloomberg report says EA’s decision to back Star Wars Battlefront 3 rather than Mass Effect 5 was the main factor behind BioWare’s closure.
Explained simply
BioWare is a video-game studio known for role-playing series such as Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Electronic Arts (EA), a large games publisher, owns BioWare and decides how to allocate funding across its studios and projects.
Star Wars Battlefront is a separate series of action games based on the Star Wars films, made by EA studios including DICE and Respawn. A choice between funding a new Mass Effect game and another Battlefront project would involve weighing the audience and commercial risks of two established franchises.
BioWare’s releases since Mass Effect: Andromeda have included Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, whose reception and commercial performance have been part of wider questions about the studio’s prospects. The reported funding choice matters because it links decisions about which games to make with the future of a long-running studio.
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