BioWare, the renowned game development studio, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following recent layoffs and staff departures. This downsizing comes after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a strategic pivot to focus exclusively on the upcoming Mass Effect game. Just two years ago, Bloomberg reported that BioWare's staff numbered over 200, during the peak production phase of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Last week, EA announced a restructuring of BioWare to concentrate solely on Mass Effect 5. This shift resulted in several employees who worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard being reassigned to other projects within EA. For instance, John Epler, the creative director for Veilguard, has been moved to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game Skate. Similarly, senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned from BioWare to Motive Studio to contribute to the development of Iron Man.
The restructuring follows EA's acknowledgment that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% lower than projected. Bloomberg reports that these staff reassignments are now permanent, meaning those moved to other EA studios are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment.
Amid these changes, several BioWare staff members confirmed their layoffs via social media. Notable departures include editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. This follows a previous round of layoffs at BioWare in 2023 and the recent exit of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
When queried about the specifics of these changes, EA provided a vague response, emphasizing that the studio's priority was now Mass Effect. According to EA, "While we're not sharing numbers, the studio has the right number of people in the right roles to work on Mass Effect at this stage of development."
Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that approximately two dozen BioWare employees were affected by the recent layoffs. Schreier also noted that it was considered a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was completed, given the challenges posed by EA's fluctuating directives regarding live-service elements.
As the future of the Dragon Age series remains uncertain, one former BioWare writer expressed optimism, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now." Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is now focused on developing the next installment in the Mass Effect series.
