Personally, I don't believe that their leacving was intended to do anything with Bioware directly.

But apart from that I fear that Bioware will indeed be reduced (in)to a mere brand for EA … Like Origin, like Westwood etc. …

I rather believe that their leaving has nothing to do with what's going on - it was long planned, and it is executed now (their leaving, I mean), that's how I see it.