Dragon Age Devs Axed, Mass Effect Takes Stage

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

On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, fully concentrating on 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 needed for the current phase of Mass Effect 5's development. Many BioWare employees were successfully placed in other suitable roles within EA. However, some Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.

Subsequently, several BioWare developers announced their departure via social media. This includes editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier, all publicly seeking new employment opportunities. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm also confirmed their exits.

This follows 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche. While EA's response to inquiries regarding the number of affected individuals remained vague, they confirmed a shift in focus from Dragon Age to Mass Effect 5. They stated that the studio is appropriately staffed for the current stage of Mass Effect 5 development.

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

Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others), is now fully dedicated to the development of the next Mass Effect game.