EA Shuts Down BioWare, Cuts 400 Jobs
Is this a hard call that sharpens EA's focus, or are accountants once again outranking artists?
Above: The Electronic Arts' logo displayed on a smartphone screen in Suqian, China, on Oct. 22. Image credit: VCG/VCG/Getty Images
The Facts
- Electronic Arts (EA) announced on Wednesday that it is closing BioWare, the game studio responsible for creating "Mass Effect," "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic," and "Dragon Age," as part of its restructuring efforts.
- In a statement, EA presidents Cam Weber and David Tinson said EA decided to close BioWare after it ended early development on the next Mass Effect game, which had never been shown publicly in any detail.
- Meanwhile, in its farewell message, BioWare thanked players for being "the most meaningful part of our story" and said its immediate focus was on its team and on "supporting one another through this transition."
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The Spin
Pro-industry narrative
Spreading talent across too many simultaneous big-budget projects is how great games end up half-baked. Concentrating teams and money behind the franchises players show up for gives each title a real shot at success instead of a slow death by divided attention. Hard calls like closing BioWare are what keep a publisher leading rather than drifting.
Industry-critical narrative
Gutting BioWare, after it helped build entire genres, to squeeze out a bit more margin is exactly what happens when accountants outrank artists. Long creative bets with uncertain payoffs are what made those games unforgettable, and no spreadsheet can capture that value. Once again, corporate profits are being prioritized over creative expression.
