BioWare Slashes Staff: Dragon Age: The Veilguard Team Now Under 100

BioWare, the renowned game developer behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, has reportedly dwindled to fewer than 100 employees following layoffs and staff exits after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. According to Bloomberg, the studio had over 200 employees just two years ago during the height of The Veilguard's production.

Last week, EA announced a significant restructuring at BioWare, shifting its focus exclusively to the development of Mass Effect 5. As part of this shift, some staff members who worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard were reassigned to other projects within EA. Notably, John Epler, the creative director for Veilguard, has been moved to Full Circle to work on the upcoming skateboarding game Skate, while senior writer Sheryl Chee has been transferred to Motive to contribute to the Iron Man project.

The restructuring decision came after EA revealed that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of the company's expectations, engaging only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter—a figure nearly 50% below projections. Bloomberg has confirmed that these staff reassignments are now permanent, and those working at other EA studios are no longer considered BioWare employees on temporary assignment.

In addition to the reassignments, several BioWare staff members have been laid off. Developers such as editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm have publicly announced their departures and are seeking new opportunities. This comes after BioWare experienced another round of layoffs in 2023, and Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche left the studio last month.

When questioned by IGN about the specifics of the layoffs and the current staff numbers at BioWare, EA's response was non-committal, stating only that the studio is now fully focused on Mass Effect with the appropriate team size for this stage of development. Bloomberg reported that approximately two dozen people at BioWare were affected by the recent layoffs.

The release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard was described by BioWare staff as a "miracle" given the challenges faced during its development, including EA's initial push for a live-service model and subsequent reversal. IGN has previously detailed some of these development hurdles, including earlier layoffs and the departure of several project leads.

Amidst concerns about the future of the Dragon Age series, a former BioWare writer offered a reassuring message to fans: "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."

As for the next Mass Effect game, EA confirmed that a dedicated 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 the process of developing it.