BioWare, the renowned game developer, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following recent layoffs and staff departures after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This significant reduction comes after the studio was home to over 200 employees just two years ago, during the intense development phase of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.
Last week, EA announced a restructuring at BioWare to shift its focus exclusively to the next installment of the Mass Effect series, known as Mass Effect 5. As a result, several team members who worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard have been reassigned to other projects within EA. Notably, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, has been moved to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee has been transferred to Motive to contribute to the Iron Man project.
This decision came after EA disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not meet the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% below projections. Bloomberg reports that these staff reassignments to other EA studios are now permanent, and those working elsewhere are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment.
Following the announcement, several BioWare developers took to social media to confirm their layoffs and search for new opportunities. Among them were 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 comes on the heels of a previous round of layoffs at BioWare in 2023 and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
When IGN sought more details from EA about the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and the current headcount at BioWare, the company's response was non-committal. EA stated, "The studio's priority was Dragon Age. During this time there were people continuing to build the vision for the next Mass Effect. Now that The Veilguard has shipped, the studio's full focus is Mass Effect. 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 report indicates that approximately two dozen people at BioWare were affected by these layoffs. Jason Schreier, the author of the Bloomberg report, noted that BioWare staff consider it a miracle that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, given EA's initial push towards a live-service model and subsequent reversal. IGN has previously covered some of the development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including earlier layoffs and the departure of several project leads.
Amidst growing concern among Dragon Age fans about the future of the series, a former BioWare writer offered reassurance, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."
On a more optimistic note for Mass Effect fans, EA confirmed that a dedicated "core team" at BioWare is actively developing the next Mass Effect game. This team is led by veterans from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others, signaling a promising future for the franchise.
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