Dragon Age: The Veilguard Dev BioWare Reportedly Down to Fewer Than 100 Employees Following Layoffs and Staff Exits

BioWare, the renowned game developer behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, is now reportedly operating with fewer than 100 employees. This significant reduction comes in the wake of layoffs and staff departures following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a subsequent restructuring by EA to concentrate efforts on the upcoming Mass Effect game.

Just two years ago, BioWare had over 200 staff members, deeply engaged in the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. However, the recent changes have drastically altered the studio's composition. Last week, EA announced a restructuring that shifted BioWare's focus exclusively to Mass Effect 5. This decision led to the reassignment of several key personnel from Dragon Age: The Veilguard to other projects within EA's various studios. For instance, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, was moved to work on Full Circle's Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned to Motive's Iron Man project.

The restructuring followed disappointing performance metrics for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which only managed to engage 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a number significantly lower than EA's initial projections by nearly 50%. Bloomberg reported that these staff reassignments are now permanent moves, and those working at other EA studios are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment.

In addition to the reassignments, several BioWare staff members were laid off and have taken to social media to announce their job search. Notable among them are editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. This round of layoffs adds to the challenges BioWare faced in 2023, which included another round of layoffs and the departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche last month.

When asked by IGN for more details on the impact of these changes at BioWare, EA provided a vague response, stating that the studio's priority had been Dragon Age but is now fully focused on Mass Effect. EA did not disclose specific numbers but assured that BioWare has the appropriate staffing to proceed with Mass Effect's development.

Bloomberg's Jason Schreier reported that approximately two dozen BioWare employees were affected by the recent layoffs. Schreier also noted that the successful release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard was seen as a "miracle" by BioWare staff, given the tumultuous development process that included forced integration and subsequent removal of live-service elements.

As Dragon Age fans express concern over the future of the series, a former BioWare writer offered reassurance, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."

Meanwhile, EA confirmed that 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 currently developing the next installment in the Mass Effect series.