ORLANDO, Fla. — Electronic Arts is closing BioWare amid a restructuring that reportedly includes about 400 job cuts, but the company’s public announcement does not specify whether its Orlando operation will be affected.
EA’s downtown Orlando studio develops games in the Madden NFL and EA Sports College Football franchises. The operation is based in Creative Village at 515 W. Amelia St.
Bloomberg reported that EA plans to eliminate approximately 400 positions companywide, including roughly 50 at BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
What EA announced
In a Wednesday announcement to employees, EA said it would close BioWare and its Edmonton, Canada, workspace after deciding not to continue early development of the next Mass Effect game.
The company said it would concentrate resources on selected franchises and fewer simultaneous large-scale projects. It also announced a smaller development team for skate.
EA said it would help affected employees explore other opportunities within the company.
Orlando’s connection to EA
EA’s Orlando operation, also known as Tiburon, includes teams working in game development, technology, marketing and publishing, according to the company.
The studio relocated to Creative Village in fall 2021. The city’s development overview described the relocation as bringing more than 1,000 jobs downtown; that figure is not a confirmed current employee count.
Channel 9 previously covered EA’s move into the downtown Orlando skyline.
Sports investment continues, company says
EA’s restructuring announcement said the company remains committed to investment across its EA Sports portfolio.
It also announced “Project Gridiron,” described as a social-focused, open-world experience being developed by its American football team.
The announcement did not identify where that project’s developers are based or detail staffing changes in Orlando. Continued investment in sports games does not establish whether individual Orlando positions will be affected.
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