Last week, EA announced a shift in its plans and focus, which led to the closure of beloved developer BioWare. Now, Bloomberg‘s Jason Schreier has released a new report detailing why EA decided to close the studio. According to the report, it came down to a choice between two projects, and they chose what they believe makes the most financial sense.
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The real reason? Star Wars www.bloomberg.com/news/newslet…
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 7:02 AM
Jason Schreier reports that EA had to choose between either Mass Effect and Star Wars Battlefront 3. Both are costly and EA also has the added pressure of paying off the $18 billion in leveraged debt after it got acquired by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, Silver Lake, and Jared Kushner’s Affinity.
What you have to understand is that because of EA’s new massive debt load, predictability is more important than ever. EA needs predictable annual cash flow to service its debt. So a Battlefront 3 that hits its deadlines is more valuable than a Mass Effect that will likely be delayed multiple times.
— Jason Schreier (@jasonschreier.bsky.social) October 30, 2026 at 7:53 AM
Star Wars Battlefront 3 isn’t officially in development but everything makes sense following reports that EA is looking at several developers to lead development on Battlefront 3.
“They chose to invest in Star Wars and shut down BioWare as a result, said the people familiar, speaking anonymously because they were not authorized to talk to the press,” Schreier wrote. “Star Wars: Battlefront 3 has not even begun development yet, but EA executives saw it as a less risky, more predictable bet than a new Mass Effect–and the publisher behind Battlefield has always been more comfortable with shooters than RPGs.”
Schreier also reports that “corporate politics” may have influenced the decision. Senior Executive Laura Miele, who was one of BioWare’s key advocates, was reportedly sidelined after EA Sports veterans David Tinson and Cam Weber were promoted. Another reason was due to BioWare experiencing several flops over the past decade, with Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard failing to meet sales expectations, which further influenced EA’s decision to shut down the studio.
Following the closure of BioWare, more information about the next Mass Effect, which was titled Mass Effect Universe, giving fans a small glimpse at what could’ve been.
That being said, many still have hope as the #SaveMassEffect campaign continues to make waves, reaching its GoFundMe goal of $5274 in less than 15 minutes and paying for billboards in Times Square and outside EA’s offices.
