Dragon Age Developers Reveal They’ve Been Laid Off After BioWare Puts ‘Full Focus’ on Mass Effect

Key Dragon Age developers have announced their departure from BioWare following a studio restructuring that prioritizes the development of the next Mass Effect game. On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, focusing its resources entirely on Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained that this strategic shift, occurring between major development cycles, allows the studio to "reimagine how we work," stating that the full studio's support wasn't required at this stage of Mass Effect 5's development. Many BioWare employees were successfully placed in suitable roles within EA. However, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.

Following this announcement, several BioWare developers publicly shared their departures on social media. This includes 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, all of whom are now seeking new opportunities. These departures follow previous layoffs in 2023 and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

EA's response to inquiries regarding the number of affected individuals was vague, stating that the studio now has the appropriate personnel for the current phase of Mass Effect development. They emphasized that the studio's priority shifted from Dragon Age to Mass Effect following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the fantasy RPG series in a decade, concluded its development last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game's launch was marked by the surprising announcement that no post-launch DLC would be released, disappointing fans who anticipated expansions similar to those of previous Dragon Age titles. EA subsequently acknowledged that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell significantly short of sales expectations, achieving only 1.5 million players compared to the projected three million. The game's development had already been documented as facing challenges, including layoffs and the departure of several 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 now fully dedicated to the development of the next Mass Effect game.