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

EA has recently announced a significant restructuring at BioWare, the studio behind the renowned Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. The company is shifting its focus entirely to the upcoming Mass Effect game, moving several developers to other projects within EA and reducing the team dedicated to Dragon Age.

In a detailed 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 noted that, at this stage of development, the full studio's support is not required for Mass Effect. As a result, EA has diligently worked over the past few months to transition many of BioWare's talented developers into other suitable roles within the company. A smaller group of Dragon Age team members are facing termination but are being given the opportunity to apply for other positions within EA.

BioWare has undergone multiple structural changes in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and several high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Notably, director Corinne Busche announced her departure from the studio just last week. The current headcount at BioWare remains unclear. IGN sought clarification from EA regarding the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and the remaining staff, but EA did not provide specific numbers. Instead, a spokesperson stated:

"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 project, announced four years ago, remains in the early stages of development. BioWare's current strategy involves prioritizing one game at a time. Developers who were previously shifted from Mass Effect to Dragon Age to ensure the latter's completion are now returning to work on Mass Effect. The development of Mass Effect is being led by series veterans such as Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.

This restructuring follows EA's recent announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of its player targets by nearly 50%. This, along with weaker-than-expected results from EA Sports FC 25, led EA to adjust its fiscal year guidance. The company is set to discuss these developments further during its Q3 earnings conference call on February 4.