BioWare's Dragon Age: The Veilguard Team Shrinks to Under 100 After Layoffs

BioWare, the renowned game development studio, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following significant layoffs and staff departures after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Just two years ago, when Dragon Age: The Veilguard was in full swing, the studio boasted over 200 staff members, according to Bloomberg.

Last week, EA announced a restructuring at BioWare, shifting its focus exclusively to the development of Mass Effect 5. This change meant that several team members who had worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard were reassigned to other EA projects. For instance, John Epler, the creative director of Veilguard, has moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate. Similarly, senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned to Motive Studio to contribute to the Iron Man project.

The restructuring came after EA disclosed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard did not meet the company's performance expectations. EA reported that the game engaged 1.5 million players in the recent financial quarter, falling nearly 50% short of their projections.

Bloomberg clarified that these staff reassignments to other EA studios are now permanent moves, and those working elsewhere are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment. Additionally, several BioWare developers, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm, have taken to social media to announce their layoffs and their search for new employment opportunities.

This isn't the first wave of layoffs for BioWare, as the studio experienced a similar round in 2023. Furthermore, Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche left the studio last month.

When IGN sought detailed information from EA about the number of affected employees, potential layoffs, and the current workforce at BioWare, EA's response was non-committal. They stated, "The studio's priority was Dragon Age. During this time there were people continuing to build the vision for the next Mass Effect. Now that The Veilguard has shipped, the studio's full focus is Mass Effect. While we're not sharing numbers, the studio has the right number of people in the right roles to work on Mass Effect at this stage of development."

Bloomberg reported that approximately two dozen people were affected by the layoffs at BioWare. Jason Schreier, the Bloomberg reporter, noted that BioWare staff considered it a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, especially after EA's attempts to incorporate live-service elements, which were later abandoned. IGN has previously covered some of the development challenges faced by Dragon Age: The Veilguard, including layoffs and the departure of several project leads.

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

Looking ahead, EA confirmed that a "core team" at BioWare is now working on the next Mass Effect game. This team is led by veterans from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others.