BioWare Shifts Staff for Mass Effect 5, No Full Studio Support Needed

EA has recently announced a significant restructuring of BioWare, the studio behind the renowned Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. The reorganization involves shifting numerous developers to other projects within EA, with the studio now focusing exclusively on the upcoming Mass Effect game. In a blog post, BioWare's general manager, Gary McKay, explained that the studio is "taking this opportunity between full development cycles to reimagine how we work at BioWare." He emphasized that, at this stage of development, the full studio's support is not required for the Mass Effect project.

McKay further stated that BioWare has diligently worked over the past few months to place many of its colleagues into suitable roles at other EA teams. IGN has learned that an unspecified number of BioWare developers have already been reassigned to equivalent roles within EA. Additionally, a smaller group of Dragon Age team members are facing termination, though they are being given the opportunity to apply for other positions within the company.

BioWare has undergone several structural changes in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and numerous high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Notably, director Corinne Busche announced her departure last week. The current number of employees at BioWare remains unclear. When IGN sought more detailed information from EA regarding the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and the remaining staff at BioWare, EA did not provide specifics. However, 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 game, announced four years ago, is still in its early development phase. BioWare's current strategy is to concentrate on one game at a time. Some developers who were previously moved from Mass Effect to Dragon Age to ensure its completion are now returning to the Mass Effect project. The development of Mass Effect is being led by series veterans Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.

This restructuring news follows EA's recent announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of its player targets by nearly 50%. This shortfall, coupled with weaker-than-expected results from EA Sports FC 25, led to a reduction in EA's fiscal year guidance. The company is scheduled to hold its Q3 earnings conference call on February 4.