- EA recently announced that it is shutting down BioWare and cancelling Mass Effect 5.
- A former BioWare co-founder says saving the title would’ve cost over $200 million.
- But with an experienced team and disciplined approach, it could be done for less.
There was a huge uproar when EA announced it was shuttering BioWare and cancelling the next in-development Mass Effect game. The franchise has been a fan favorite for a long time, and fans haven’t taken the announcement well at all.
However, BioWare co-founder has explained why EA canceled the title, since saving Mass Effect 5 would have cost over $200 million. Reports suggest that the company wanted to prioritize Battlefront 3, so they had to shelve it.
Why it matters: Fans have been urging the company to continue the IP and even filed a petition that now has over 300,000 signatures, but based on the economics, bringing it back doesn’t seem viable for EA.
The scary component of Mass Effect is the audience is going to want the best of “AAA” development. Rough ballpark (based on contemporaries) is $200M+. That is a big number to commit up front. There has to be a bigger plan in place for the IP to make the math work.
— Trent Oster (@TrentOster) November 5, 2026
Trent Oster took to X to suggest why Mass Effect didn’t make it out. He said fans would want the best developments for this massive franchise, and it would require over $200 million in costs, which is a massive amount.
To commit to this money upfront, there has to be a bigger plan, but it seemed there wasn’t. However, he does say that with an experienced staff and disciplined approach, it is possible to do it with less money.
After the shutdown, BioWare employees leaked the Mass Effect 5 trailer, which led to an even greater backlash. Many even want EA to sell the studio to its employees so they can continue the development.
A Canadian politician has even asked the government to intervene and help keep BioWare afloat. For now, the future is quite uncertain, but based on how much support there is, maybe fans might actually get what they want.
What are your thoughts on BioWare co-founder stating that saving Mass Effect 5 would’ve needed $200 million to save? Let us know your opinions in the comments or join the discussion at the official Tech4Gamers Forum.
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News Reporter
Abdullah is an avid gamer who primarily plays single-player titles. If you can’t find him anywhere, he’ll probably be at his desk playing The Witcher 3 for the millionth time. When he isn’t playing games, he’s either reading or writing about them.
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