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

BioWare has reportedly been reduced to fewer than 100 employees following layoffs and staff departures after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The studio underwent a restructuring to focus exclusively on the upcoming Mass Effect game, resulting in a significant downsizing from over 200 employees two years ago when Dragon Age: The Veilguard was in full production.

Last week, EA restructured BioWare to concentrate solely on Mass Effect 5, leading to the reassignment of some Dragon Age: The Veilguard team members to other EA studios. John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, was reassigned to work on Full Circle's skateboarding game Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee moved to Motive to work on Iron Man. These reassignments, initially considered temporary, have become permanent, and those staff members are no longer considered part of BioWare.

The decision came after EA announced that Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not meet the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, a 50% shortfall from projections.

Several BioWare developers, including 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, confirmed their layoffs on social media and are now seeking new opportunities. BioWare had previously experienced layoffs in 2023, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche left the studio last month.

When asked about the specifics of the layoffs and the number of remaining employees, EA provided a vague response, stating that the studio now has "the right number of people in the right roles" to focus on Mass Effect. Bloomberg reported that around two dozen people were affected by the recent layoffs. Jason Schreier, the author of the Bloomberg report, noted that BioWare staff considered it a miracle that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game after EA's fluctuating demands regarding live-service elements.

Amid concerns about the future of the Dragon Age series, a former BioWare writer reassured fans, saying, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."

For the next Mass Effect game, EA confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare, led by veterans from the original trilogy including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others, is currently in development.