Several key Dragon Age developers have left 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, fully concentrating on Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained this realignment as an opportunity to "reimagine how we work" between major development cycles. He stated that the full studio's support wasn't currently needed for Mass Effect 5 and that BioWare had worked to place many employees in suitable roles within other EA teams.
While EA has transferred an unspecified number of BioWare developers to equivalent positions within the company, a smaller group of Dragon Age team members have experienced job termination, with the option to apply for other internal roles.
Subsequently, several BioWare developers announced their departure on social media, including 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. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
EA's response to inquiries regarding the impact of these changes remained vague, stating that the studio is appropriately staffed for the current phase of Mass Effect development, without providing specific numbers.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the franchise in a decade, concluded its development last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game's launch was notably underwhelming, with BioWare confirming the absence of post-launch DLC, a decision that disappointed fans. EA later admitted that the game's sales fell short of expectations by a significant 50%, reaching only 1.5 million players instead of the projected three million. The game's development had already been documented as facing challenges, including layoffs and the departure of several key personnel.
EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans of the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others), is now focused on the next Mass Effect title.
