EA closes BioWare and cancels next Mass Effect game; petition passes 75,000
GG Brief Editorial Desk · AI-assisted, source attributed
EA announced on October 21 that it will close BioWare and cancel the next Mass Effect game, IGN reported. IGN also reported that a petition to save the canceled title has gathered more than 75,000 signatures and that some fans are calling for a boycott of EA products and services. IGN described BioWare as a 30-year-old studio and said fans urged EA to sell BioWare’s IP to other studios rather than leave it unused. VGC covered the same cancellation and studio closure in a podcast episode published on October 23, 2026.
- What happened: IGN reported that EA announced on October 21 it will shut down BioWare and cancel the next Mass Effect game; VGC also discussed the cancellation and closure in a podcast on October 23, 2026.
- Why it matters: IGN reported a petition to save the canceled Mass Effect title has gathered more than 75,000 signatures and that some fans are calling for a boycott of EA products and services.
- Context: IGN reported BioWare is a 30-year-old studio behind franchises including Mass Effect, and VGC treated the cancellation and closure as the subject of its October 23 podcast episode.
- What next: IGN reported fans urging EA to sell BioWare’s IP to other studios; IGN did not report any confirmed EA decision about the future ownership or handling of BioWare’s intellectual property.
What changed
EA announced plans on October 21 to close studio BioWare and to cancel the next Mass Effect game, according to IGN. VGC covered the cancellation and the studio closure on its podcast published October 23, 2026.
Timeline
- October 21: IGN reports EA announced the shutdown of BioWare and cancellation of the next Mass Effect game.
- October 23, 2026: IGN’s story was updated and VGC published a podcast episode discussing the cancellation and BioWare’s closure.
Limits
- IGN reported a petition seeking to save the canceled Mass Effect title has more than 75,000 signatures and that some fans are calling for an EA boycott, but the evidence does not confirm any EA response to those calls.
- The evidence does not confirm any EA decision about selling BioWare’s IP or other future actions regarding the studio or the Mass Effect franchise.