Key Dragon Age developers have announced their departure from BioWare following a studio restructuring focused on the next Mass Effect game. On January 29th, IGN reported BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, concentrating solely on Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained this shift as an opportunity to re-evaluate workflows during a period between major development cycles, stating the full studio wasn't needed at this stage. Many developers were successfully placed in suitable roles within EA, but 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 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 to inquiries regarding the number of affected individuals remained vague, stating the studio is appropriately staffed for the current Mass Effect development phase. They emphasized the studio’s prior focus on Dragon Age and the shift to Mass Effect following The Veilguard’s completion.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the series in a decade, concluded its run last week with what appeared to be its final major update. The game’s launch was notably lacking post-launch DLC, a surprising decision given previous Dragon Age titles received expansions. EA previously acknowledged 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 already marked by 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.
