Updated

EA confirmed it is shutting down BioWare, the storied studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, prompting widespread tributes to its legacy across the RPG genre. The closure comes after years of layoffs and shrinking output at the studio, and commentators argued its influence on role-playing games will endure regardless. Amid the reaction, a content creator who claims to have advised BioWare through a community council shared alleged details suggesting the cancelled next Mass Effect game, known internally as Mass Effect Universe, "looked incredible." Award-winning sci-fi author NK Jemisin also weighed in, criticizing the industry for "killing the geese that laid the golden eggs" and citing Mass Effect and Dragon Age as personal inspirations.