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

BioWare, the renowned game developer behind iconic franchises like Dragon Age and Mass Effect, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following a series of layoffs and staff exits after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. This significant reduction comes as the studio undergoes a restructure to concentrate solely on the development of the next Mass Effect game.

According to Bloomberg, BioWare had over 200 employees just two years ago when Dragon Age: The Veilguard was in full production. However, last week, EA announced a strategic shift, refocusing BioWare's efforts exclusively on Mass Effect 5. This decision led to some staff members who had worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard being reassigned to other projects within EA's network of studios. For instance, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, has been moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned to Motive to contribute to the Iron Man project.

The restructuring follows EA's disclosure that Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not meet the company's sales expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a figure that fell nearly 50% short of projections. Bloomberg reported that these staff reassignments to other studios are now permanent, and those working elsewhere are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment.

In the wake of these changes, several BioWare developers have taken to social media to announce their layoffs and job searches. Among them 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 comes after BioWare had already experienced a round of layoffs in 2023, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche announced her departure last month.

When IGN inquired about the specifics of the layoffs and the number of remaining employees at BioWare, EA provided a non-committal response, emphasizing that the studio's full focus is now on Mass Effect. Bloomberg estimated that around two dozen people were affected by the latest layoffs. Jason Schreier from Bloomberg noted that BioWare staff felt it was a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, given the challenges, including EA's push for a live-service model which was later abandoned.

Amid fears for the future of the Dragon Age series, a former BioWare writer offered reassurance to 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 such as Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley, is now working on the next installment in the Mass Effect series.