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Electronic Arts closes BioWare studio and cuts about 400 jobs

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Coverage spectrum

Covered by 3 outlets, mostly right-leaning (67%).

4 articles in total. The spectrum counts each outlet once and leaves opinion out. How we measure bias

Close-up of hands holding a white game controller under red ambient light.
Image via Just the NewsHow images are chosenReport this image

Electronic Arts is closing its BioWare studio, the developer of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, after 31 years, according to the BBC, the New York Post and Just the News. The New York Post, citing Variety, reports that the closure comes with about 400 job cuts, or about 3 percent of EA’s global workforce, in a business restructure. It reports that the news came in an internal memo leaked on Wednesday, in which EA presidents Cam Weber and David Tinson described a review of how the company operates. The BBC reports that BioWare’s last two releases did not meet sales expectations. Just the News reports that comments on the studio’s announcement blamed its recent Dragon Age release. The outlets’ accounts of the causes differ.

Headline and summary written by Mantle’s AI from the coverage below, under published rules. How this works

What happened

Key points

Each point shows who reports it, from Far Left to Far Right.

  1. Electronic Arts announced it is closing BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, after 31 years.

    Reported byCenter1Right1Far Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    BBC News
    Right
    New York Post
    Far Right
    Just the News

  2. Electronic Arts is cutting about 400 jobs, or about 3 percent of its global workforce, in a business restructure.

    Reported byCenter1Right1See the outletsHide the outlets
    Center
    BBC News
    Right
    New York Post

  3. A leaked internal memo from EA presidents Cam Weber and David Tinson described a review of how the company operates.

    One outletNew York Post· Right

  4. The BBC reports that BioWare’s last two releases did not meet sales expectations.

    One outletBBC News· Center

  5. Just the News reports that comments on the studio’s announcement blamed the recent Dragon Age: The Veilguard release.

    One outletJust the News· Far Right

How each side tells it

Compare views

All sides report that Electronic Arts is closing BioWare and cutting about 400 jobs. The right’s coverage centers on the layoffs, a leaked memo and the industry context, while the center’s BBC emphasizes the studio’s legacy and its last two releases missing sales expectations.

  • the left

    No coverage yet

    No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

  • the center

    1 outlet

    The BBC headline presents the closure as a completed end to a celebrated studio, and its excerpt gives the sales shortfall as the reason.

    Legendary video game studio BioWare closed after 31 years
    BBC NewsCenterAll center headlines

  • the right

    2 outlets

    Headlines stress the scale of the layoffs and a leaked memo at the New York Post, while Just the News, rated Far Right, frames the closure as one more sign that the industry struggles.

    Sensational language“Mass layoffs”Mass overstates a cut of about 400 jobs, or 3 percent of the global workforce.More neutral: LayoffsDisagree with this highlight? Loaded verb“rock”Rock implies dramatic upheaval beyond the reported cut of about 3 percent of the workforce.More neutral: Layoffs hitDisagree with this highlight? California gaming giant as boss’ internal memo leaks
    New York PostRightAll right-leaning headlines

The words they chose

Language to notice

Words that carry a judgement beyond the facts. Tap a highlighted word anywhere on the page to see why.

  • Left

    Has not covered this story.

  • Center0

    No loaded words in its own voice.

  • Right2

    Mass layoffsrock

In the outlets’ own words

  • Sensational language

    Mass layoffsMore neutral: Layoffs

    Mass overstates a cut of about 400 jobs, or 3 percent of the global workforce.

    Mass layoffs rock California gaming giant as boss’ internal memo leaks

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

  • Loaded verb

    rockMore neutral: Layoffs hit

    Rock implies dramatic upheaval beyond the reported cut of about 3 percent of the workforce.

    Mass layoffs rock California gaming giant as boss’ internal memo leaks

    Used byNew York Post (Right)

See the full language guide

See for yourself

Side by side

What each side leads with and what it leaves out. Open a side to read its headlines.

From the left

0 outlets

No left-leaning outlet that Mantle follows has covered this story yet. That absence is part of the picture.

From the center

1 outlet

Leads with

  • studio’s 31-year legacy
  • last two releases missing sales expectations
  • 400 job cuts across EA

Leaves out

  • leaked internal memo
  • fan comments blaming Dragon Age: The Veilguard

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the headline from the centerHide the headlines

From the right

2 outlets

Leads with

  • mass layoffs at Electronic Arts
  • leaked internal memo
  • industry struggles

Leaves out

  • BioWare’s last two releases missing sales expectations

Reported by other sides, not found in this side’s coverage.

See the 2 headlines from the rightHide the headlines

Articles you open from here build My Mix, a private picture of how your reading spreads across the spectrum, kept on this device. What is My Mix?

The left is Far Left and Left together. The right is Right and Far Right together. Every outlet keeps its own five-point rating.

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