BioWare Shrinks to Under 100 Staff After Layoffs, Exits

BioWare, the renowned game development studio behind iconic franchises like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, is reportedly experiencing significant changes. Following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a strategic shift to focus solely on the next Mass Effect game, the studio's workforce has dwindled to fewer than 100 employees. Bloomberg reports that just two years ago, during the peak of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's development, BioWare boasted over 200 staff members.

Last week, EA restructured BioWare to concentrate exclusively on Mass Effect 5. This decision led to the relocation of some Dragon Age: The Veilguard team members to other EA projects. Notably, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, transitioned to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game, Skate. Similarly, senior writer Sheryl Chee moved to Motive Studio to contribute to the development of Iron Man.

The restructuring comes after EA announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players in its recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% below projections. Bloomberg notes that these staff reassignments to other studios are now permanent, effectively reducing BioWare's headcount as those employees are no longer considered part of BioWare.

In the wake of these changes, several BioWare developers have taken to social media to announce their layoffs and search for new opportunities. Among those affected are 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. This follows a previous round of layoffs in 2023 and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

When IGN sought detailed information from EA about the number of individuals impacted, potential layoffs, and the current staff size at BioWare, the response was non-committal. EA stated, "The studio's priority was Dragon Age. During this time there were people continuing to build the vision for the next Mass Effect. Now that The Veilguard has shipped, the studio's full focus is Mass Effect. While we're not sharing numbers, the studio has the right number of people in the right roles to work on Mass Effect at this stage of development."

Bloomberg's report suggests around two dozen BioWare employees were affected by the latest layoffs. Jason Schreier, the author of the Bloomberg report, noted that it was considered a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, given the challenges of integrating and then reversing a live-service model. IGN has previously documented some of the development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including layoffs and the departure of several project leads at various stages.

Amidst these changes, Dragon Age fans are concerned about the future of the series. However, a former BioWare writer offered reassurance, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."

Looking forward, EA has confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is diligently working on the next installment of the Mass Effect series.