BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk believes that the studio's fate was ultimately sealed by the change in ownership at Electronic Arts. In his opinion, the new EA investors are primarily interested in commercially predictable projects, whereas the development of large-scale role-playing games, for which BioWare is renowned, requires too much time and resources.
Zeschuk mentioned this in an interview with 80 Level, commenting on the closure of BioWare and the cancellation of the next Mass Effect installment.
"I think that was the final nail in the coffin," the developer stated, referring to the acquisition of Electronic Arts for $55 billion by a consortium of investors led by the Public Investment Fund of Saudi Arabia (PIF).
According to Zeschuk, the new EA owners are more interested in annual sports releases and major franchises like Battlefield. In contrast, BioWare games represent complex projects with long development cycles.
Notably, Zeschuk does not consider the sale of BioWare to Electronic Arts in 2007 a mistake. He mentioned that at that time, the studio was in a good financial position, and the deal allowed for business stability and attracted funding for the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic.
Zeschuk, along with another BioWare co-founder, Ray Muzyka, left the company back in 2012. The developer admitted that he emotionally parted ways with the studio then, so the news of its closure did not come as a shock to him.