EA Restructures BioWare, Focusing Entirely on 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 major development cycles to "reimagine how we work at BioWare." He stated that the full studio's support isn't currently needed for the Mass Effect project and that many employees have been successfully transitioned to other suitable roles within EA.

While EA hasn't disclosed specific numbers, it's understood that an unspecified number of BioWare developers have been moved to other positions within EA. A smaller number of Dragon Age team members are facing potential layoffs, with the option to apply for other internal roles.

This restructuring follows a series of changes at BioWare in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and several high-profile departures, most recently director Corinne Busche. The current size of BioWare's workforce remains undisclosed. EA declined to provide specifics on the number of employees affected by the restructuring or those remaining at the studio. However, an EA spokesperson confirmed that the studio's focus is now entirely on the next Mass Effect game, stating they have "the right number of people in the right roles."

The new Mass Effect game, announced four years ago, is still in its early stages of development. BioWare's current strategy prioritizes focusing on one game at a time. This involves developers who previously worked on Mass Effect, being moved to Dragon Age to complete that project, and now returning to the Mass Effect team. 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 missed player acquisition targets by almost 50%, leading to a reduction in their fiscal year guidance. EA will discuss these results further during their Q3 earnings call on February 4.