Mass Effect 5: BioWare's Development Continues Amid EA Staff Reallocations

EA has announced a significant restructuring at BioWare, the studio behind Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The company is shifting a number of developers to other projects within EA and is now focusing exclusively on its upcoming Mass Effect game. 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 added that, given the current stage of development, the full studio's support is not required for the Mass Effect project. As a result, many BioWare team members have been reassigned to other teams within EA that have open roles suitable for their skills.

IGN has learned that EA has already moved an unspecified number of BioWare developers into equivalent roles within the company. Additionally, a smaller group of Dragon Age team members are facing termination, though they are being given the opportunity to apply for other positions within EA.

BioWare has undergone multiple structural changes in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and several high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Notably, director Corinne Busche announced her departure from the studio last week. The exact number of current BioWare employees remains unclear. IGN sought clarification from EA regarding the number of affected individuals, potential layoffs, and those remaining at BioWare, but EA did not provide specific figures. An EA spokesperson, however, stated that the studio's priority had been Dragon Age, with some developers concurrently working on the next Mass Effect. Now that The Veilguard has been released, the studio's full attention is on Mass Effect, and it is staffed appropriately for this stage of development.

The new Mass Effect game, announced four years ago, remains in its early stages. BioWare's current approach is to concentrate on one game at a time. Developers who were previously moved from Mass Effect to help complete Dragon Age are now returning to work on Mass Effect. The project is being led by series veterans including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.

This restructuring news follows EA's recent announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard fell short of its player targets by nearly 50%. This, along with weaker-than-expected results from EA Sports FC 25, led EA to adjust its fiscal year guidance. The company is scheduled to discuss its Q3 earnings in a conference call on February 4.