Dragon Age: The Veilguard Dev BioWare Reportedly Down to Fewer Than 100 Employees Following Layoffs and Staff Exits

BioWare's workforce has reportedly shrunk to under 100 employees following recent layoffs and departures. This reduction comes after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a company restructuring prioritizing the next Mass Effect game.

Bloomberg reported BioWare employed over 200 individuals two years ago during The Veilguard's development. Last week's EA restructuring, focusing solely on Mass Effect 5, resulted in some The Veilguard team members transferring to other EA studios. Game Developer reported Veilguard's creative director, John Epler, moved to Full Circle's Skate project, while senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned to Motive's Iron Man development.

These personnel shifts followed EA's announcement of Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underperformance. EA stated the game engaged 1.5 million players, significantly below projections. Bloomberg clarified that these initial "loans" to other EA studios are now permanent transfers, severing the employees' BioWare affiliation.

Further layoffs impacted other staff, prompting several BioWare developers to announce their job searches on social media. Editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier, along with producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm, publicly confirmed their departures. This follows 2023 layoffs and the departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche last month.

While EA offered a vague response to IGN's inquiry about the impact of these changes, Bloomberg estimated approximately two dozen layoffs. BioWare staff reportedly view The Veilguard's completion as a remarkable achievement, given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed. IGN previously documented The Veilguard's development challenges, including earlier layoffs and the departure of key personnel.

Amidst fan concerns about the Dragon Age franchise's future, a former BioWare writer offered reassurance. EA confirmed 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 developing the next Mass Effect title.