Key Dragon Age developers have announced their departure from BioWare following a studio restructuring that prioritizes the development of the next Mass Effect game. IGN reported on January 29th that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects. General manager Gary McKay explained that this realignment, occurring between major development cycles, allows the studio to "reimagine how we work," stating that the full studio's support wasn't needed for the current phase of Mass Effect development. Many BioWare employees were successfully placed in suitable roles within EA. However, some Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.
Several BioWare developers subsequently announced their departures on social media, 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. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
EA's response to inquiries regarding the number of affected individuals remained vague, stating that the studio now has the appropriate personnel for the current stage of Mass Effect development. BioWare concluded work on Dragon Age: The Veilguard last week, releasing what appeared to be its final major update. The game, the first new entry in the fantasy RPG series in a decade, launched with limited fanfare and, notably, without planned post-launch DLC. EA previously acknowledged that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell significantly short of sales projections, achieving only 1.5 million players against a target of three million. The game's development was previously reported to have faced challenges including layoffs and the departure of several key personnel.
The next Mass Effect game is being developed by a core BioWare team led by veterans of the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.
