BioWare's Dragon Age Team Shrinks Amidst Layoffs

BioWare's workforce has reportedly shrunk to under 100 employees following recent layoffs and departures, a significant reduction from the over 200 employees it boasted two years ago during Dragon Age: The Veilguard's development. This downsizing comes after EA restructured BioWare to concentrate solely on the next Mass Effect title.

Bloomberg reports that Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underperformance led to this restructuring. EA's stated player engagement of 1.5 million fell drastically short of projections. Consequently, some Veilguard team members were transferred to other EA studios, initially described as temporary assignments, but now confirmed as permanent relocations. These individuals are no longer considered BioWare employees.

Simultaneously, several BioWare developers announced layoffs on social media, including key personnel such as editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. This follows previous layoffs in 2023 and the departure of Veilguard director Corinne Busche last month.

EA's response to inquiries regarding the exact number of affected employees remained vague, stating that the studio is appropriately staffed for the current phase of Mass Effect development. Bloomberg, however, estimates the recent layoffs impacted roughly two dozen individuals. Internal BioWare sentiment suggests the successful completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, despite EA's initial push for live-service elements later reversed, was a remarkable achievement under challenging circumstances. IGN has previously documented the game's troubled development, including earlier layoffs and the exit of several key project leads.

While concerns rise among Dragon Age fans, a former BioWare writer offered a reassuring message: "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now." Meanwhile, EA assures fans that a core team of veteran developers from the original Mass Effect trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others, are leading the development of the next Mass Effect game at BioWare.