"Mass Effect 5: BioWare Not Requiring Full Studio Support, EA Shifts Staff"

EA has recently announced a significant restructuring at BioWare, the studio behind the iconic Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises. The company is shifting its focus entirely to the upcoming Mass Effect game, moving numerous developers to other projects within EA and reallocating resources accordingly.

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 the current stage of development for the new Mass Effect game, the full capacity of the studio is not required. As a result, BioWare has been working to place many of its talented developers into other suitable roles within EA over the past few months.

According to IGN, an undisclosed number of BioWare developers have already been reassigned to equivalent roles elsewhere within EA. A smaller group from the Dragon Age team is facing termination, but 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 the departure of key figures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Notably, director Corinne Busche announced her exit from the studio just last week. The current number of employees at BioWare remains unclear. When IGN sought further details from EA regarding the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and remaining staff, EA did not provide specific figures. However, an EA 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 approach is to concentrate on one game at a time. Developers who were previously shifted from Mass Effect to help complete Dragon Age: The Veilguard are now returning to work on Mass Effect. The project is being led by series veterans such as Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.

This restructuring follows last week's news that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of its player targets by nearly 50%, prompting EA to adjust its fiscal year guidance. This adjustment was also influenced by weaker-than-expected performance from EA Sports FC 25. EA is set to discuss its Q3 earnings in a conference call on February 4.