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

On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare has reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, focusing its resources entirely 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 currently needed for Mass Effect 5. While many BioWare employees were successfully placed in other suitable EA roles, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.

This news prompted several prominent BioWare developers to announce their departures via social media. Among those leaving are editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm also confirmed their exits.

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 remained vague, stating only that the studio has the necessary personnel for the current stage of Mass Effect development.

The recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the series in a decade, concluded last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game's launch was notably underwhelming, with BioWare confirming no post-launch DLC, a surprising decision given the tradition of expansions in previous Dragon Age titles. EA further acknowledged that Dragon Age: The Veilguard missed sales projections by a significant 50%, achieving only 1.5 million players against a target of three million. The game's troubled development, marked by layoffs and the departure of key personnel, has been previously documented.

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 actively developing the next Mass Effect game.

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