In a nutshell: BioWare has laid off approximately two dozen staff and reassigned many others to various posts within parent company EA. This decision aligns with BioWare’s strategy to become “more agile” as it shifts focus to the next installment of the Mass Effect series, which is still in early pre-production despite being teased in 2021.
Bloomberg notes that the move aligns with the studio’s statement last year that it would “loan out” some of its developers to other projects within its parent company, including Iron Man and Skate. However, the studio announced that these loans are now permanent. This move came as a surprise, as did the release of the two dozen staff members, including writer Trick Weekes and producer Jen Cheverie. It leaves only a “core team” of just under 100 employees to work on the Mass Effect project BioWare teased well over two years ago.
I’m now looking for a new writing/narrative position. It’s been a privilege to work with so many amazing devs over my 20 years at BioWare, and I will cherish the memories of the wonderful folks in the community I’ve met along the way. Thank you all.
– Trick Weekes (@trickweekes.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 4:58 PM
The layoffs come after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which debuted last Halloween. The game marked BioWare’s return to the Dragon Age universe after a decade-long hiatus since Dragon Age: Inquisition. Veilguard broke BioWare’s Steam records upon release, reaching approximately 70,414 concurrent players and pushing Mass Effect Legendary Edition (59,817) into second place.
Unfortunately, its initial success wasn’t good enough for EA. The publisher reported that Veilguard sold around 1.5 million during Q4 2024 – nearly 50 percent shy of expectations – marking it a failure in EA’s books. During a recent earnings call, CEO Andrew Wilson pointed to the game’s shortfall as contributing to the company revising its financial projections.
After almost 14 years at BioWare, I am devastated to learn today that myself and others must seek new opportunities. I am so grateful for all of the learning, challenges, and most importantly the team. I will remember my time here with joy. Tomorrow we’ll move forward. For today I will just be sad.
– Jen Cheverie (@jencheverie.bsky.social) January 29, 2025 at 5:44 PM
Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s lukewarm reception raises concerns about BioWare’s future projects, particularly the upcoming Mass Effect title. The studio has faced several hurdles in recent years, including the departure of key personnel and the cancellation of planned multiplayer elements in favor of single-player experiences. Veilguard’s departure from a winning BioWare formula and these setbacks have led fans to wonder about the studio’s direction and ability to deliver on expectations.
Laying off staff as the studio begins to ramp up production of the next Mass Effect seems counterintuitive. Usually, this is when developers go on a hiring spree. Obviously, EA is applying pressure to lower the studio’s overhead, but this seems like a setup for failure.
BioWare must hit a home run with its next release to please its already agitated fanbase. The success of the next Mass Effect will be crucial in determining the developer’s standing in the industry and within the EA umbrella. We’ve already seen several studios shuttered in 2024, including PlayStation London Studio, Tango Gameworks, Arkane Austin, Roundhouse Games, and Firewalk Studios. We’d hate to see BioWare go down for another lackluster release.