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 staff being transferred to other EA studios. Game Developer reported that Veilguard's creative director, John Epler, moved to Full Circle's Skate project, while senior writer Sheryl Chee transitioned to Motive's Iron Man project.

These staff transfers, initially described as temporary assignments, are now permanent relocations, according to Bloomberg. Additionally, several BioWare developers publicly announced layoffs on social media, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. This follows 2023 layoffs and the departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche last month.

EA's response to inquiries regarding the exact number of affected employees was vague, stating the studio is appropriately staffed for the current Mass Effect development phase. Bloomberg, however, estimates approximately two dozen layoffs. Jason Schreier's Bloomberg report suggests BioWare staff viewed The Veilguard's completion as a remarkable achievement given EA's initial push for live-service elements, later reversed. IGN has previously documented The Veilguard's development challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel.

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

Regarding Mass Effect, EA confirmed a core team at BioWare, led by veterans from the original trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley), is developing the next installment.