Dragon Age Developers Reveal They’ve Been Laid Off After BioWare Puts ‘Full Focus’ on Mass Effect

Key Dragon Age developers depart BioWare following Mass Effect 5 focus shift.

BioWare's restructuring to prioritize Mass Effect 5 has resulted in several key Dragon Age developers leaving the studio. This follows a report by IGN on January 29th, detailing BioWare's realignment of its workforce within EA.

General manager Gary McKay explained the studio is using the period between development cycles to reassess its operational structure. He stated that the full studio's support wasn't currently required for Mass Effect 5 and that many employees have been transitioned to other suitable roles within EA.

While EA hasn't disclosed precise numbers, some Dragon Age team members have experienced job termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions. Several prominent BioWare developers, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier, have publicly announced their departures. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm have also confirmed their exits.

This follows previous layoffs in 2023 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, emphasizing the studio's current focus on Mass Effect 5 and asserting they have the appropriate personnel for the project's current phase.

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 underperformance, falling short of sales expectations by 50% (1.5 million players versus a projected 3 million), and the absence of planned post-launch DLC, have contributed to the current situation. Previous challenges, including layoffs and the loss of several project leads, have been well-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 developing Mass Effect 5.