The rumours have been swirling for a while, before today brought a major industry announcement: EA has struck a $55 billion deal to go private in a Saudi-backed buyout. It’s the biggest leveraged buyout in history, meaning that the new EA is instantly saddled with $20 billion of debt, and will face intense pressure to crank those profits. And it’s also the latest step in the Saudi Arabian Investment Fund’s mission to “sportswash” the brutal regime, by using its influence and ubiquity across entertainment industries to distract from some of the world’s most appalling human rights abuses.
As the crack team at PCG towers discussed the deal, one line stuck with me: “I wouldn’t want to be sitting in a BioWare chair right now.” The vibes around one of the all-time great RPG studios have not been good in recent years, and the fairly decent Dragon Age: The Veilguard didn’t persuade anyone that the studio is capable of surpassing contemporary greats like Baldur’s Gate 3 or Disco Elysium. Early this year, the studio was apparently cut to the bone in a round of layoffs, though a new Mass Effect game remains in development. For now.
Everyone who’s ever loved a BioWare game, which is surely an awful lot of us, is probably feeling quite gloomy about the studio’s prospects. And that extends to former BioWare leads, who’re watching this acquisition and thinking pretty much what we’re all thinking: It might not happen tomorrow, but this could be the death knell for the studio.
Patrick Weekes, who goes by Trick Weekes, was a writer at BioWare from 2005 to 2025, working across various Mass Effect and Dragon Age titles, and was lead writer for Dragon Age: The Veilguard. They recently took to Bluesky, linking coverage of the EA-Saudi deal alongside an imaginary conversation that goes like this:
Buyers: So your games… guns and football, yes?
EA: Mmhmm, mmhmm, mostly guns and football, yep.
Buyers: No gay stuff? No politics we’re not going to like?
EA: Haha, definitely not! Hey, could you give me one sec? I just need to shut down a studio real quick.
Weekes was one of those laid off at the start of the year and so can afford to be frank, while anyone still at BioWare will no doubt be deleting all social media apps lest temptation win out.
As for the fans? A quick look at the Mass Effect subreddit shows the top thread on the acquisition is called simply “It’s over, Commander“, with seemingly every fan of the series bracing for bad news. The only slight notes of positivity are those who think EA might sell BioWare but, honestly, who’s lining up to buy a AAA studio that hasn’t had a major hit since arguably Mass Effect 3?
The EA-Saudi deal was only announced today, and we’re going to be watching the fallout from this for years to come. It doesn’t bode well for fans of any EA series, really. But for BioWare especially, this could be existential.
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This is an intriguing take on the EA-Saudi deal. It’s always interesting to see how industry dynamics shift and what that means for game development. The speculation around BioWare’s future adds another layer to the conversation. Looking forward to seeing how this all unfolds!
I appreciate your thoughts! The shifting priorities in gaming can really impact the creative direction of studios like BioWare. It’s fascinating to consider how fan expectations might evolve as a result of these changes, especially with the growing demand for diverse narratives in RPGs.
Thanks for your response! It’s interesting how these corporate decisions can shape not just game content, but also the diversity of voices in the industry. A focus on mainstream appeal might overshadow unique narratives that RPGs are known for.
You’re welcome! It really is fascinating how corporate strategies influence game culture and the types of narratives we see in the industry. With the shift towards more mainstream genres like shooters and sports, it might limit the diversity of storytelling that RPGs often provide.
Absolutely! It’s interesting to consider how shifts in leadership can also affect storytelling in games, especially in RPGs. The potential focus on more mainstream genres could limit the diverse narratives that studios like BioWare have been known for.
You’re right! Leadership changes often bring new priorities, which can transform the creative direction of a studio. It will be fascinating to see how this impacts not just the themes in their games, but also the types of narratives we might expect from BioWare moving forward.
Absolutely! It’s interesting to see how shifts in leadership can not only change priorities but also impact the overall culture of a studio. This could lead to new creative directions that might resonate differently with fans, especially in a company with such a rich history like BioWare.