Electronic Arts reportedly canceled its next Mass Effect game and shut down BioWare after deciding that Star Wars Battlefront 3 represented a safer investment for the company.

According to a new Bloomberg report, EA faced a difficult choice between two expensive science-fiction projects, ultimately prioritizing the Star Wars franchise over BioWare’s long-running RPG series.

EA Reportedly Considered Battlefront 3 a Safer Investment

Both projects were reportedly associated with development costs reaching hundreds of millions of dollars.

Despite development on Star Wars Battlefront 3 reportedly not having started, EA executives considered the project less financially risky than another Mass Effect installment.

The report suggests that EA’s leadership has traditionally been more comfortable investing in shooters than large-scale role-playing games.

BioWare’s recent history may have also influenced the decision.

Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard reportedly contributed to concerns about the studio’s commercial performance.

Additionally, internal leadership changes allegedly weakened support for BioWare, particularly following the sidelining of Laura Miele, who had advocated for the studio and Mass Effect franchise.

The reported decision leaves the future of Mass Effect uncertain, while Star Wars Battlefront 3 appears to have become EA’s preferred science-fiction investment.

EA has not publicly confirmed all the reported reasoning behind these decisions.