BioWare's workforce has reportedly shrunk to under 100 employees following recent layoffs and departures. This significant reduction comes after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a company restructure prioritizing the next Mass Effect game. Two years ago, during The Veilguard's development, BioWare employed over 200 people.
Last week's EA restructure focused BioWare solely on Mass Effect 5, resulting in some The Veilguard staff being transferred to other EA studios. For example, The Veilguard's Creative Director, John Epler, moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming Skate game, and Senior Writer Sheryl Chee joined Motive's Iron Man project. These transfers, initially described as temporary, are now permanent reassignments.
EA's announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed, engaging only 1.5 million players (nearly 50% below projections), preceded these changes. While EA hasn't disclosed exact numbers, Bloomberg reported approximately two dozen layoffs. Several BioWare developers publicly confirmed their departures, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the previous departure of The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
EA's response to inquiries regarding the impact of these changes remained vague, stating the studio is appropriately staffed for the current Mass Effect development phase. However, BioWare staff reportedly view the completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard as a remarkable achievement, given the challenges posed by EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed. IGN has previously documented The Veilguard's development difficulties, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel.
Despite concerns among Dragon Age fans, a former BioWare writer offered a message of hope, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now." EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans of the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley), is developing the next Mass Effect game.
