BioWare Lays Off Dragon Age Team to Prioritize Mass Effect

Key Dragon Age developers depart BioWare following Mass Effect 5 focus.

On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, shifting its complete focus to Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained this restructuring as an opportunity to "reimagine how we work" between development cycles, stating that the full studio's support wasn't currently needed for Mass Effect 5. While many BioWare employees were successfully placed in other suitable EA roles, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for internal positions.

This news prompted several high-profile BioWare departures. Editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier publicly announced their job searches. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm also confirmed their exits. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

EA's response regarding the impact of these changes remained vague, offering no specific numbers on affected individuals or those remaining at BioWare. They emphasized the studio's current focus on Mass Effect 5, asserting they have the appropriate personnel for the project's current stage.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the series in a decade, concluded its development last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game's lackluster performance, including the absence of post-launch DLC and a 50% shortfall in sales expectations (1.5 million players versus the anticipated 3 million), has been widely documented. Previous reports detailed development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel.

Meanwhile, 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.