EA closes BioWare as next-gen console prices surface
The Mass Effect and Dragon Age studio is gone, and Microsoft reportedly expects its next Xbox to cost $1,200 to $1,800.
EA has shut down BioWare, the Canadian studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, in the week of October 25, 2026, according to polygon.com. The same reporting brought word that Microsoft expects its next Xbox console to cost between $1,200 and $1,800.
The next PlayStation, PlayStation 6, is expected to come in slightly cheaper than the next Xbox but likely still in four figures, according to the same report.
BioWare had been part of EA since the publisher acquired the studio in 2007. Its last release, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, followed a mishandled development and was neither good enough nor popular enough to secure the studio's future. Earlier BioWare titles include Mass Effect, Dragon Age and Anthem.
Before the sale of EA to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, CEO Andrew Wilson courted buyers including Apple, Amazon, Disney and Comcast, according to polygon.com. On the console side, Microsoft's acquisition spree in the late 2010s and early 2020s led to job and studio losses, and in October 2026 it emerged that the company expects its next Xbox to cost between $1,200 and $1,800.
Quick answers
Did EA close BioWare?
Yes. EA shut down the Canadian studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, according to polygon.com, in the week of October 25, 2026.
How much will the next Xbox cost?
Microsoft expects its next Xbox to cost between $1,200 and $1,800, according to polygon.com.
What was BioWare's last game?
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which followed a mishandled development and was neither good enough nor popular enough to secure the studio's future.