Electronic Arts Announces Layoffs, Closes BioWare Studio
The gaming giant is cutting 3% of its global workforce as part of a company restructuring.
Silicon Valley-based gaming giant Electronic Arts (EA) has announced significant layoffs, impacting approximately 400 employees, which represents 3% of its global workforce. The company is also closing its prominent video game studio, BioWare, ending its 31-year run. The announcements were made in an internal memo to employees leaked Wednesday.
In the memo, Cam Weber, president and chief studios officer, and David Tinson, president and COO, stated that the company has undergone a review of its operations. "Over the past several months, we’ve taken a hard look at our business, how we operate, and what it will take to lead in this next era of interactive entertainment," the memo read. "We’ve challenged assumptions, confronted hard realities, imagined new possibilities, and made deliberate choices in order to deliver exceptional experiences for our players and to drive sustained growth."
BioWare is known for developing major gaming franchises including "Mass Effect" and "Dragon Age." The closure marks the end of an era for the studio, which has been a significant player in the gaming industry for over three decades. The broader restructuring at EA aims to refocus the company and ensure sustained growth in the competitive interactive entertainment market.