BioWare Lays Off Dragon Age Developers

Key Dragon Age developers have announced their departure from BioWare following a studio restructuring that prioritizes the development of the next Mass Effect game. On January 29th, IGN reported BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects. General manager Gary McKay explained this shift as an opportunity to "reimagine how we work" between development cycles, stating the full studio wasn't needed for the current Mass Effect development phase. While many developers were reportedly placed in equivalent roles within EA, some Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.

Several BioWare developers subsequently announced their departure on social media, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Patrick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm also confirmed their exits. 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 the studio has the appropriate personnel for the current Mass Effect development phase. BioWare's work on Dragon Age: The Veilguard concluded last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game, the first new entry in the series in a decade, underperformed significantly, failing to meet sales expectations by 50% according to EA. This followed earlier reports of development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of several key personnel. The lack of post-launch DLC, a surprising omission for fans, further contributed to the game's underwhelming reception.

EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley), is now fully focused on the next installment in the Mass Effect franchise.