Electronic Arts (EA) has announced a significant restructuring at BioWare, the studio behind the beloved Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. The reorganization involves reallocating numerous developers to other projects within EA and shifting the studio's complete focus to the upcoming Mass Effect game.
In a detailed blog post, BioWare's general manager, Gary McKay, stated that the studio is seizing the opportunity between full development cycles to "reimagine how we work at BioWare." He noted that at the current stage of development for the new Mass Effect, the full studio's support is not necessary. McKay emphasized the studio's talented workforce, explaining that over the past few months, BioWare has been diligent in finding suitable roles for many of its colleagues within other EA teams.
According to IGN, an unspecified number of BioWare developers have already been transitioned into comparable roles elsewhere within EA. A smaller group of developers from the Dragon Age team will see their positions terminated but are being given the opportunity to apply for other roles within the company.
BioWare's structure has undergone several shifts in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and multiple high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The most recent departure was director Corinne Busche, who announced her exit from the studio last week. The exact number of current BioWare employees remains undisclosed. IGN sought more information from EA regarding the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and the remaining staff at BioWare. While EA did not disclose specific figures, a spokesperson commented:
"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."
The new Mass Effect, announced four years ago, remains in its early development phase. BioWare's current strategy is to concentrate on one game at a time. Some developers who were previously shifted from Mass Effect to Dragon Age to ensure its completion are now returning to the Mass Effect project. The development of the new Mass Effect is being led by series veterans, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.
This restructuring news follows closely on the heels of EA's announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of its player targets by nearly 50%. This shortfall, combined with weaker-than-expected results from EA Sports FC 25, prompted EA to adjust its fiscal year guidance. The company is set to discuss its Q3 earnings in a conference call on February 4.
