Key developers from the Dragon Age series have announced their departure from BioWare following a significant restructuring at the studio, which is now focusing exclusively on the development of the next Mass Effect game. On January 29, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned several of its developers to other projects within EA, as the studio shifts its full attention to Mass Effect 5.
BioWare's general manager, Gary McKay, stated that the studio is using the time between major development cycles to "reimagine how we work." He emphasized that at this stage of development, the full studio's support is not required for Mass Effect 5. McKay noted that BioWare has worked to place many of its talented colleagues in suitable roles within other EA teams.
While EA has successfully transitioned an unspecified number of BioWare developers into equivalent roles elsewhere in the company, a smaller group of Dragon Age team members are facing termination. These individuals have been given the opportunity to apply for other positions within EA.
In the wake of this announcement, several BioWare developers, including 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, have publicly announced their departure from the studio and are seeking new employment opportunities.
This restructuring follows a round of layoffs at BioWare in 2023 and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche. When questioned about the specifics of the impact on BioWare's workforce, EA provided a vague response, stating that the studio's priority had been Dragon Age and that it now has the appropriate number of staff in the right roles to focus on Mass Effect.
The development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard concluded last week with its final major update. The game, the first new entry in the fantasy RPG series in a decade, did not meet sales expectations, selling only 1.5 million copies against a target of three million. EA also confirmed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard would not receive any post-launch DLC, a decision that disappointed fans accustomed to expansions in previous Dragon Age titles.
Looking ahead, a core team at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy such as Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is now working on the next Mass Effect game.
