Mass Effect 5 Updates: Studio Focus Shifts

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, with BioWare now concentrating solely on its upcoming Mass Effect title.

In a blog post, 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 current Mass Effect development phase doesn't require the entire studio's workforce. Many BioWare employees have been transitioned to other suitable roles within EA. A smaller number of Dragon Age team members have had their positions terminated, but are being given the opportunity to apply for other roles within the company.

BioWare has undergone significant structural changes in recent years, including layoffs in 2023 and several high-profile departures during the development of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. The recent departure of director Corinne Busche is one such example. EA declined to specify the exact number of employees affected by the restructuring, but confirmed that the studio is now appropriately staffed for the current Mass Effect development stage. They emphasized that the studio's focus is now entirely on the next Mass Effect game.

The new Mass Effect game, announced four years ago, remains in its early stages of development. BioWare's strategy is to prioritize single game development at a time. This involves shifting developers between projects as needed; some developers who previously worked on Mass Effect were temporarily assigned to Dragon Age to complete that project and are now returning to Mass Effect. 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 targets by approximately 50%, leading to a reduction in the company's fiscal year guidance. EA will hold its Q3 earnings conference call on February 4th to further discuss these matters.