BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard Team Shrinks to Under 100 After Layoffs

BioWare, the renowned video game developer behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, has reportedly reduced its workforce to fewer than 100 employees. This significant downsizing comes in the wake of layoffs and staff exits following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a subsequent restructuring to concentrate solely on the next Mass Effect game.

Just two years ago, BioWare boasted over 200 employees during the peak of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's development, according to Bloomberg. However, recent shifts in focus and disappointing performance led to drastic changes within the studio. Last week, EA announced a restructuring that redirected BioWare's efforts exclusively to Mass Effect 5. This decision came after Dragon Age: The Veilguard failed to meet EA's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, a stark contrast to the projected numbers.

As part of the restructuring, some BioWare staff, including Dragon Age: The Veilguard's creative director John Epler and senior writer Sheryl Chee, were reassigned to other EA projects. Epler moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate, while Chee joined Motive to contribute to the Iron Man project. Bloomberg reported that these reassignments are now permanent, and those moved to other studios are no longer considered BioWare employees.

The layoffs have also impacted a number of BioWare developers, with several taking to social media to announce their departure and seek new opportunities. Notable individuals affected include editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer 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 exit of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

When IGN sought detailed information from EA about the number of affected employees, potential layoffs, and current staff numbers 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 reported that around two dozen BioWare employees were laid off in this latest round. Jason Schreier, the author of the Bloomberg report, noted that BioWare staff considered it a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was completed, given the challenges posed by EA's initial push for a live-service model and subsequent reversal.

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

On a more positive note, 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 actively developing the next installment in the Mass Effect series.