Recently, some team members involved in developing Dragon Age: The Veilguard disclosed that they were let go from BioWare. These layoffs coincide with BioWare’s decision to “restructure” in order to gear up for the next Mass Effect project, following the completion of The Veilguard.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which launched on October 31, 2024, took nearly ten years of development. Critics mostly gave it an average score of 80 on OpenCritic, but it stirred up quite a bit of controversy among players and didn’t meet financial expectations. According to EA’s recent reports, the game fell short by 50%, attracting only 1.5 million players in 2024.
IGN has shared that BioWare is facing an unquantified number of layoffs. Earlier this week, BioWare’s general manager, Gary McKay, announced the restructuring toward the upcoming Mass Effect game. This move involves reallocating some employees to other EA studios to create a “more agile, focused studio.” Initially, layoffs weren’t anticipated, but social media reveals at least five individuals have been affected. Notably, Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s narrative designer, Trick Weekes, editors Karin West-Weekes and Ryan Cormier, senior systems designer Michelle Flamm, and producer Jen Cheverie have all confirmed they were laid off. BioWare, however, declined to specify the number of employees impacted when questioned by IGN.
It’s a bit of a blow, especially since talents like Trick Weekes have been with BioWare for two decades. Back in 2023, BioWare had already let go of 50 employees, suggesting a continuous trend of scaling back at the studio. Recently, Corinne Busche, director of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, also departed from BioWare, though she clarified that her exit wasn’t related to the game’s financial results.
With the conclusion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s development, it seems there won’t be any DLC rolling out. The latest update focused on quality-of-life improvements and bug fixes, likely marking the last tweak unless any major issues arise. So, the team’s focus has shifted entirely to crafting the next installment in the Mass Effect series.
