BioWare, the acclaimed studio behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series, has reportedly seen its workforce shrink to fewer than 100 employees following a series of layoffs and staff departures after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Just two years ago, when Dragon Age: The Veilguard was deeply engaged in its development, BioWare boasted a team of over 200, according to Bloomberg.

Last week, EA announced a significant restructuring of BioWare, shifting its focus solely to the development of Mass Effect 5. This strategic pivot led to the reassignment of some Dragon Age: The Veilguard team members to other EA studios. Notably, John Epler, the creative director for Veilguard, has transitioned to work on Full Circle's upcoming skateboarding game, Skate. Similarly, Sheryl Chee, a senior writer from the Veilguard team, has been moved to Motive to work on Iron Man.

This restructuring was prompted by Dragon Age: The Veilguard's underperformance, with EA reporting that the game engaged only 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, falling nearly 50% short of the company's projections. Bloomberg further clarified that these staff reassignments to other studios are now permanent, effectively ending their tenure at BioWare.

In the wake of these changes, several BioWare developers took to social media to announce their layoffs and their search for new employment opportunities. Among them were 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 another round of layoffs at BioWare in 2023, and the recent departure of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

When questioned by IGN about the specifics of the layoffs and the current number of employees at BioWare, EA provided a non-committal response, emphasizing that the studio now has the appropriate number of staff in the right roles to focus on Mass Effect. Bloomberg reported that approximately two dozen employees were affected by the recent layoffs. Jason Schreier, who authored the Bloomberg report, noted that BioWare staff felt it was a "miracle" that Dragon Age: The Veilguard was released as a complete game, given the challenges, including EA's attempt to integrate live-service elements before reversing course.

Amidst concerns from Dragon Age fans about the future of the series, a former BioWare writer offered a message of hope, stating, "Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now."

Looking forward, EA confirmed that a dedicated "core team" at BioWare is currently working on the next Mass Effect game. This team is led by veterans from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others, signaling a strong commitment to the franchise's future.