Over 270,000 Fans Sign Mass Effect Petition Following Studio Closure
Electronic Arts chose to prioritize a new Star Wars title over Mass Effect when executives shuttered developer BioWare, according to a report published by Bloomberg. The decision resulted in the cancellation of the next entry in the sci-fi role-playing series and the layoff of roughly 50 developers working on the project, alongside some 350 other staff cuts across various studios on October 21. Electronic Arts announced the closure of BioWare, the dismissal of approximately 50 developers working on Mass Effect 5—whose trailer has been leaked—and the cessation of around 350 other developers from various studios, such as Full Circle (skate.) and Maxis (The Sims), on October 21.
In response to the studio closure, fans launched the #SaveMassEffect campaign, gathering over 277,000 signatures on an online petition by late October 2026. The physical display ran on October 26 at 1560 Broadway, appearing for 15 seconds every hour.
The billboard display was set up at 1560 Broadway, above the Pelé store in Duffy Square, running for 15 seconds every hour at :35 all day on October 26, an effort organized together with @kalaelizabeth.
Internal Restructuring and the Star Wars Priority
Internal strategy shifts at Electronic Arts drove the decision to close BioWare and halt the Mass Effect franchise, as executives evaluated a portfolio featuring two massive science fiction action games with budgets scaling into hundreds of millions of dollars. Facing financial pressures, including an 18 billion dollar debt obligation tied to an acquisition by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners, company leadership selected Star Wars Battlefront 3 over the BioWare project. Sources cited by Bloomberg indicated that executives viewed the licensed shooter as a safer commercial bet than a sprawling RPG.
🚨 WE'RE IN TIMES SQUARE!Together with @kalaelizabeth, we've managed to get a #SaveMassEffect billboard up in Times Square, NYC, all day today!📍 1560 Broadway, above the Pelé store (Duffy Square)⏰ 15 seconds every hour at :35HOLD THE LINE! ❤️ pic.twitter.com/wNP9Ak9Vh8
Additional pressure stemmed from the reception of prior titles from the developer, including Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Furthermore, internal management changes, such as the departure of Laura Miele from a position of influence, left the studio vulnerable during corporate restructuring. Electronic Arts has not publicly confirmed that the Star Wars project served as the direct catalyst for the studio closure, though the company formally announced Battlefront 3 alongside the layoffs.
Electronic Arts confirmed that Battlefront 3 was in its plans in the same communication that announced the layoffs, the closure of BioWare, and the cancellation of Mass Effect 5.
Industry Reactions and Future Outlook
Greg Zeschuk, co-founder of BioWare, addressed the studio’s closure in an interview with 80 Level, noting that he processed his primary emotional departure when he left the company in 2012 following the launch of Mass Effect 3. Pasé por esas emociones hace mucho, mucho tiempo
, recounted Zeschuk, who departed the developer of Baldur’s Gate and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic alongside co-founder Ray Muzyka. Zeschuk stated that corporate leadership positions are frequently held by executives lacking game development experience, arguing that outsiders struggle to understand the complex pipeline required for unique projects. He pointed to the leveraged buyout as the final blow for the studio, which once stood as a creative beacon in Edmonton, offering his view on the leveraged buyout of Electronic Arts by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia, Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners (founded by Jared Kushner, son-in-law of Donald Trump): Creo que fue el último clavo en el ataúd
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While executive planning favors predictable sports titles and established multiplayer shooters over narrative epics, community organizers continue their push to influence corporate decision-making. Fans use the trilogy to maintain engagement. Development on Star Wars Battlefront 3 remains in early preproduction, with Respawn Entertainment slated to assist DICE on the project, leaving the long-term fate of the Commander Shepard universe entirely in corporate hands.
Star Wars Battlefront 3 and Franchise Cancellation Details
The development of Star Wars Battlefront 3 has not started yet, according to Schreier’s report in Bloomberg. In simpler terms, EA had to choose between Mass Effect and Battlefront III. A fan noted that they had spent years waiting for the announcement of Star Wars: Battlefront III, but never would have dared even whisper the wish had they known it would come true at the cost of sacrificing Mass Effect.
