Key Dragon Age developers depart BioWare following Mass Effect 5 focus.
On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare, following a restructuring prioritizing Mass Effect 5, had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects. General manager Gary McKay explained the studio is "reimagining how we work" between development cycles and doesn't require the full studio's support for the current phase of Mass Effect 5 development. While many BioWare employees transitioned to other suitable roles within EA, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions.
Subsequently, several BioWare developers announced their departures via social media. Among them were editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, and editor Ryan Cormier. Producer Jen Cheverie and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm also confirmed their exits. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.
EA's response to inquiries regarding the impact of these changes remained vague, stating only that the studio is appropriately staffed for the current Mass Effect 5 development stage. They did not provide specific numbers on affected employees.
Last week marked the apparent conclusion of BioWare's work on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, with its final major update released. The game, the first new entry in the series in a decade, underperformed significantly, failing to meet sales expectations by 50% (1.5 million players versus the projected 3 million). This followed BioWare's announcement that no post-launch DLC was planned, disappointing fans. The game's troubled development, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel, has been previously documented.
Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others), is developing the next Mass Effect game.
