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

BioWare, the renowned game development studio, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following recent layoffs and staff exits. This significant reduction comes after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a strategic shift by EA to focus exclusively on the next installment in the Mass Effect series.

Just two years ago, BioWare boasted over 200 employees, heavily engaged in the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. However, following the game's release and underwhelming performance, EA announced a restructuring that redirected BioWare's efforts solely towards Mass Effect 5. This shift led to the reassignment of some staff members to other EA studios. Notably, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, was moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee was transferred to Motive to contribute to the Iron Man project.

EA disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard engaged 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, falling nearly 50% short of the company's projections. This underperformance prompted the restructuring and the permanent relocation of staff to other EA studios, effectively severing their ties with BioWare.

In the wake of these changes, numerous BioWare developers took to social media to announce their layoffs and job search. Among those affected were 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 recent round of layoffs follows a previous reduction in 2023 and the departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche last month.

When queried by IGN about the specifics of the layoffs and remaining staff at BioWare, EA provided a vague response, emphasizing the studio's new focus on Mass Effect and stating that the studio now has "the right number of people in the right roles" for this stage of development. Bloomberg reported that approximately two dozen individuals were affected by the layoffs, with BioWare staff expressing relief that Dragon Age: The Veilguard managed to release as a complete game despite EA's fluctuating directives on incorporating live-service elements.

Amidst concerns about the future of the Dragon Age series, a former BioWare writer reassured fans, 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 including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is now focused on developing the next Mass Effect game.