BioWare Closed, Battlefront 3 Reported: What EA Announced
EA is shutting BioWare and cancelling the next Mass Effect. It also confirmed a Respawn and DICE project that Variety reports is Star Wars Battlefront 3. Here's what is official and what is still rumour.
- EA is closing BioWare and ending early work on the next Mass Effect, in a restructuring that cuts about 400 jobs.
- EA confirmed Respawn and DICE will collaborate on an unnamed project; Variety reports it is Star Wars Battlefront 3, but EA has not confirmed that.
- As of October 26, 2026, Battlefront 3 has no official title, platforms, release date or trailer.
BioWare did not announce Star Wars Battlefront 3. On October 21, 2026, Electronic Arts said it is closing BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, and ending early work on the next Mass Effect game. In the same staff memo, EA said its Respawn and DICE studios will team up on an unnamed "future project", which Variety reported, citing multiple sources, is Star Wars Battlefront 3.
As of October 26, 2026, neither EA nor Lucasfilm has officially named that game, and there are no platforms, release date or trailer. Here is what is confirmed, what is only reported, and what to watch next.
Why BioWare, Battlefront 3 and Mass Effect are trending
Three linked stories landed within about 48 hours. First, Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported on October 21 that EA would cut about 400 jobs and shut BioWare, as Kotaku summarised. BioWare then confirmed the closure in a statement on its own blog and on social media.
Second, the EA memo mentioned the new Respawn and DICE collaboration, which reporters quickly tied to a third Battlefront game. Third, on October 22 a trailer for the cancelled Mass Effect leaked online, and Kotaku reported that Schreier had confirmed it was genuine.
What EA actually announced
The memo was signed by Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and chief operating officer, according to MP1st. Inven Global reports EA published it on October 21 after it had gone to employees. The key points:
- BioWare is closing, along with its Edmonton office, and early development on the next Mass Effect is ending.
- About 400 jobs, roughly 3% of EA's workforce, are being cut, with around 50 of them at BioWare. Those figures come from Bloomberg, as cited by Newsweek and Aftermath; EA's own memo did not give a total.
- Respawn and DICE will work together on an unnamed project, alongside future Battlefield games.
- Still in development: Apex Legends, Marvel's Iron Man, the next Star Wars Jedi game, an open-world American football game called Project Gridiron, and a Fight Night game in pre-production.
- The Sims: work on Project Lotus has stopped so EA can focus on Project Evergreen. Inven Global and Newsweek describe Lotus as paused, while Aftermath and Kotaku describe it as cancelled.
EA said it will help affected staff look for other roles inside the company and will discuss its plans at a global town hall in November, according to Inven Global.
Is Star Wars Battlefront 3 confirmed?
Not officially. The confirmed part is narrow: EA wrote that it will be "bringing together our Respawn and DICE studios to collaborate on a future project." It gave no title, genre, platforms or timing.
The Battlefront 3 label comes from Variety, which cited multiple unnamed sources, as summarised by MP1st and Everything Edinburgh. Aftermath, relaying Bloomberg, described the project as likely to be another Battlefront entry. Game Rant and Destructoid both treat the Battlefront link as unconfirmed.
Two earlier claims also fed the speculation, and neither is verified:
- MP1st reports that the head of Bulkhead, the studio behind Wardogs, said shortly before the memo that he had heard DICE and Respawn were making the next Battlefront.
- An EGM rumour column by Jeff Grubb, covered by GosuGamers, said Lucasfilm was looking for a developer, with DICE the favourite and Bungie floated as an alternative. Variety's later report points to DICE and Respawn instead.
Platforms and release date
Nothing official has been announced: no platform list, release window, price or gameplay. MP1st's writer expects the project is early in development. Everything Edinburgh, citing reports, says Respawn is still finishing the next Star Wars Jedi game, reportedly aimed at 2027, before it turns to the joint project. Treat any Battlefront 3 release date you see online as speculation.
For context, DICE made the two modern Battlefront games. EA's store page lists Star Wars Battlefront II, released in November 2017, on PC, PlayStation 4 and Xbox One. Game Rant and Everything Edinburgh note its last major updates arrived in 2020.
What happens to Mass Effect
The next Mass Effect is cancelled. BioWare first teased it at The Game Awards on December 10, 2020, when its blog said a team had begun pre-production on "the next chapter in the Mass Effect universe." Nearly six years later, BioWare's closing statement said early development on that project "is ending."
A day after the announcement, a trailer leaked on Reddit carrying the working title Mass Effect Universe. Kotaku reports it opens with a note that it is in-engine footage using pre-production assets, and it features Liara T'Soni from the original trilogy. Nerdist reports that IGN said the story was set several centuries after Mass Effect 3. EA has not commented on the leak, so treat story details as unofficial.
Kotaku notes the trailer might have debuted on N7 Day, November 7, the date BioWare used to celebrate the series each year. Insider Gaming reports this project will not move to another EA team, while Newsweek notes EA has not said whether the franchise itself is over or whether another studio could take it on.
Why EA is closing BioWare
EA framed the cuts as a shift toward fewer, larger projects. The memo said the company had taken "a hard look" at its business over several months, per Insider Gaming. Newsweek reports EA gave no specific reason for ending the Mass Effect project and no estimate of savings.
The backdrop is EA's change of ownership. Aftermath and Kotaku report that EA went private in August in a $55 billion deal led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, leaving about $18 billion of debt and a pledge of roughly $700 million in cost savings. Insider Gaming calls this the first major move under the new owners and reports that EA had at one point explored selling BioWare, though those talks did not get far.
BioWare was founded in 1995 and bought by EA in 2007, according to Newsweek and Aftermath. Its catalogue includes Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Recent years were harder: Kotaku notes Anthem lost money, and both Kotaku and Aftermath say Dragon Age: The Veilguard missed EA's sales expectations.
What about Dragon Age and Star Wars: The Old Republic?
BioWare's statement lists Dragon Age among its past games but says nothing about the series' future. Game Rant reports that the online game Star Wars: The Old Republic should not be affected, because its development moved to Broadsword Online Games in 2023.
Our take
Based on the reporting, Battlefront 3 is real as a report but not yet as an announcement. Pairing DICE, which built the last two Battlefront games, with Respawn, which makes the Star Wars Jedi series, fits the Variety account. Still, EA chose not to name the project, so the safest reading is that a Star Wars shooter is likely in early development with no date.
For Mass Effect fans, the leaked trailer shows how far the project got, but it is not a plan. EA has not disclosed any studio that will carry the series forward, and BioWare's own statement focuses on supporting its departing staff.
What to watch next
- EA's November town hall, where the company said it would discuss its plans with staff.
- An official Battlefront 3 reveal from EA or Lucasfilm, which would confirm the title, platforms and timing.
- N7 Day on November 7, traditionally a Mass Effect fan event, for any EA statement on the franchise.
- The next Star Wars Jedi game from Respawn, which EA says remains in development.
Frequently asked questions
Did BioWare announce Star Wars Battlefront 3?
No. BioWare is closing, and it has no role in the reported game. The Battlefront 3 reports concern a new project from EA's Respawn and DICE studios, which EA confirmed on October 21, 2026 without naming it.
Is Star Wars Battlefront 3 officially confirmed?
Not as of October 26, 2026. EA confirmed that Respawn and DICE will collaborate on a future project, and Variety reported, citing multiple sources, that it is Star Wars Battlefront 3. Neither EA nor Lucasfilm has announced the title.
Is Mass Effect cancelled?
The next Mass Effect game BioWare was developing has been cancelled as part of the studio's closure. EA has not said whether the Mass Effect series will continue with another studio in the future.
What platforms will Star Wars Battlefront 3 be on?
No platforms have been announced. EA has not shared a release window, price or gameplay details, and reports suggest the project is early in development.
Why is EA closing BioWare?
EA's memo says it took a hard look at its business and wants to focus on fewer, larger projects. The closure is the first major restructuring since EA went private in a $55 billion deal led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund, which left the company with about $18 billion of debt.
Sources
- BioWare Update, BioWare
- BioWare Double Feature at The Game Awards, BioWare
- EA To Shut Down BioWare And Cancel The Next Mass Effect Game, Kotaku
- A Convincing Trailer For What May Have Been Mass Effect 5 Has Leaked [UPDATE: It's Real], Kotaku
- Electronic Arts Closing BioWare, Laying Off Hundreds, Aftermath
- Electronic Arts Layoffs: 400 Jobs Cut as BioWare Shuts Down, Newsweek
- EA teams Respawn and DICE on a new shooter and pauses The Sims' Project Lotus, Inven Global
- Report: Respawn and DICE Collaboration Project Confirmed by EA, as Sources Confirm It Is Star Wars Battlefront 3, MP1st
- EA Shutting Down BioWare, Cutting 400 Jobs Across The Company, Insider Gaming
- BioWare, makers of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, is shutting down as EA axes 'around 400' jobs, Destructoid
- EA Confirms New DICE and Respawn Game Rumored to Be Star Wars Battlefront 3, Game Rant
- Trailer for Now-Canceled MASS EFFECT Game Leaks Online, Nerdist
- STAR WARS Battlefront II, Electronic Arts
- Star Wars Battlefront 3 Reportedly in Development at EA, Everything Edinburgh
- Disney reportedly considering Destiny creator Bungie to make Star Wars Battlefront 3, GosuGamers
How we wrote this
GessyMorgan explainers are built from public reporting and official sources. This post draws on the 15 sources listed above, each linked where we use it. It was drafted with AI assistance and checked against those sources before publishing. We did not test products, attend events or interview anyone for this article. Facts are current as of October 26, 2026, and we update the post when they change.
