Key Dragon Age developers depart BioWare following Mass Effect 5 focus.
On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, shifting its complete focus to Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained this restructuring as an opportunity to "reimagine how we work" between development cycles, stating that the full studio's support wasn't currently needed for Mass Effect 5. While many BioWare employees were successfully placed in other suitable EA roles, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for 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. This follows 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
EA's response regarding the impact of these changes remained vague, confirming a shift in focus to Mass Effect 5 following the completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. While specific numbers weren't provided, EA asserted that the studio is appropriately staffed for the current phase of Mass Effect development.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the franchise in a decade, concluded its development last week with a final update. The game's underperformance, falling short of projected sales by 50% (1.5 million players versus a projected 3 million), was acknowledged by EA. The lack of post-launch DLC, a departure from previous Dragon Age titles, further disappointed fans. The game's troubled development, marked by layoffs and the departure of key personnel, has been previously 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 the next Mass Effect game.
