EA Restructures BioWare, Focusing Solely on the Next Mass Effect Game
Electronic Arts (EA) has announced a restructuring of BioWare, the studio behind the Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. The restructuring involves reassigning a number of developers to other EA projects and concentrating all remaining resources on the upcoming Mass Effect game.
In a blog post, BioWare general manager Gary McKay explained that the studio is using the time between development cycles to "reimagine how we work at BioWare." He stated that the full studio's support wasn't needed for the current phase of Mass Effect development and that many employees have been successfully transitioned to other suitable roles within EA.
While EA hasn't disclosed exact figures, it's understood that an unspecified number of BioWare developers have been relocated. A smaller number of Dragon Age team members have faced job termination, though they've been offered opportunities to apply for other positions within the company.
BioWare has undergone significant structural shifts in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and several high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, most recently director Corinne Busche. The current workforce size at BioWare remains undisclosed. EA declined to provide specifics regarding the number of employees affected by the restructuring. However, an EA spokesperson stated that BioWare now has the appropriate personnel and roles to focus on Mass Effect development.
The new Mass Effect game, announced four years ago, is still in its early stages. BioWare's current strategy prioritizes focusing on a single game at a time. Some developers previously working on Mass Effect were temporarily assigned to Dragon Age: The Veilguard to ensure its completion and are now returning to the Mass Effect project. Veteran developers Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley are leading the Mass Effect development.
This announcement follows EA's recent revelation that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of player expectations by approximately 50%, leading to a downward revision of the company's fiscal year guidance. EA will discuss its Q3 earnings on February 4.
