Employees at BioWare have expressed their concern around the buyout at EA, as uncertainty grows around the future of Mass Effect.
There are a lot of unknowns following the $55 billion acquisition of EA, but one of the key concerns is how it will impact developers under the company’s umbrella, given the publisher has suddenly saddled itself with $20 billion of debt.
As announced on Monday, EA is set to be acquired by a consortium of investors comprised of Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund (PIF), private equity firm Silver Lake, and investment firm Affinity Partners, in what’s described as the biggest leveraged buyout in history.
While it’s unclear whether this will affect the studios behind EA Sports FC and Battlefield 6 in any significant way, one developer who has expressed concern is BioWare, creators of Mass Effect and, more recently, Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
BioWare was hit by layoffs earlier this year, after Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet sales expectations, and following news of this buyout there’s concern more could be on the way once the deal goes through.
Speaking to Insider Gaming, one anonymous source at the studio said: ‘Look at the negativity that came after Dragon Age. If we felt it was only going to get worse then, you can imagine what some of us think now.’
Other employees have noted how they’ve put ‘feelers out for other jobs’ because it ‘feels like a matter of time’ before the studio is impacted once again.
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The studio is currently developing the next Mass Effect game, which has already had an extremely troubled development, with these new fears only adding to the atmosphere of uncertainty.
According to the report, only a small team was actively working on the sequel at the start of this year, but this had started to increase recently. ‘We’re going to keep working until they tell us we’re done,’ one BioWare employee added.
The acquisition isn’t expected to be finalised until Q1 of the 2027 financial year, so we likely won’t see any significant shake-ups until after April 2026.
Amid all this uncertainty, a lifeline for the future of Mass Effect might be the confirmed TV adaptation underway at Amazon.
Filming on the series is set to begin at the end of 2026, as confirmed by a recent production update, but its existence (if it isn’t shelved before then) might ensure another game will remain in the pipeline.
Although it’d hardly be the first TV adaptation to be based on a video game franchise that hasn’t had a new entry in years.
Several other employees have spoken out about the buyout. Speaking to Game File, one anonymous EA worker, highlighting the connections to Saudi Arabia: ‘Andrew Wilson [CEO at EA] basically said ‘f you’ to all women and LGBTQ employees at EA with this deal.’
Another added: ‘I’m nervous about what this means in terms of workforce once the deal is closed, as layoffs usually follow those type of acquisitions. And on a personal level, those future owners are really not in line with my values and beliefs.’
Saudi Arabia has increased its investment into the gaming space over the past few years. Earlier this year, the PIF, controlled by the country’s Prince Mohammed bin Salman, acquired Pokémon Go developer Niantic.
The country also hosts the Esports World Cup, as part of its growing investment into the esports space.
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It’s always tough to hear when employees are feeling uncertain about their work environment. The gaming industry is so dynamic, and it’s important for studios like BioWare to maintain a positive atmosphere. Hopefully, the team can find ways to navigate this transition and stay focused on creating great games.
It’s definitely a challenging situation for everyone involved. The gaming industry thrives on creativity, and uncertainty can stifle that. Hopefully, the leadership at BioWare can address these concerns and create a more positive atmosphere moving forward.
You’re absolutely right; creativity is crucial in gaming. It’s concerning to see how these changes might impact not only the morale but also the unique storytelling that BioWare is known for. Hopefully, the team can find a way to navigate these challenges while maintaining their creative spirit.
I completely agree that creativity is essential for innovation in gaming. It’s interesting to consider how the studio’s culture could shift under new ownership, potentially impacting not just morale but also the unique storytelling that BioWare is known for.
I completely agree with you. It’s worth noting that a studio’s culture can heavily influence creativity, so the current concerns at BioWare could impact not only morale but also the quality of future games. It will be interesting to see how this situation unfolds and whether any changes are made to support the creative process.
Absolutely, the studio culture is crucial for fostering creativity and innovation. It’s also interesting to consider how external pressures from ownership can impact not just morale, but the overall quality of the games being developed. Balancing business goals with creative freedom is always a challenge.
It’s also interesting to see how studio culture can directly impact game development quality. A strong, supportive environment often leads to more ambitious projects, which is essential for a franchise like Mass Effect. Hopefully, they can find a way to maintain that creativity amid the changes.
You make a great point about studio culture! It’s fascinating how a supportive environment can foster creativity and innovation, which are crucial for producing high-quality games. If morale is low, it could potentially stifle the talent and passion that drives the franchise forward.
Absolutely, a supportive culture is crucial for creativity and innovation. It’s interesting to consider how external pressures, like ownership changes, can impact team dynamics and overall morale. Maintaining open communication during such transitions might help alleviate some of those fears.