By Sagar V. Mankar 
BioWare has announced major changes to its studio structure following the completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Studio General Manager Gary McKay revealed that the company is streamlining its operations to focus on the highly anticipated Mass Effect 5, with several employees being relocated within Electronic Arts (EA).
In a recent statement on BioWare’s official website, McKay emphasized that the studio is entering its “next chapter,” with a dedicated core team now fully committed to developing the next Mass Effect game. This team brings together some of the most experienced veterans from the original Mass Effect trilogy, including:
- Mike Gamble: A seasoned manager and producer who worked on Mass Effect 2, 3, and Andromeda
- Preston Watamaniuk: The lead designer of the original trilogy
- Derek Watts: The art director who shaped the original trilogy’s distinctive look
- Parrish Ley: A key cinematic animator from the original series
While BioWare has not disclosed specific numbers, reports suggest that the restructuring has impacted a considerable number of employees. McKay stated that the company has been working to “match many of our colleagues with other teams at EA that had open roles that were a strong fit.” However, according to IGN, some employees were not reassigned and were instead given time to apply for other positions within EA. The publisher has not provided further details but stated that BioWare now has “the right number of people in the right roles to work on Mass Effect at this stage of development.”
These changes come shortly after the release of Patch 5 for Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which many believe to be the game’s final update. Unlike previous Dragon Age titles, which typically received story-expanding DLC, BioWare has opted to forgo additional content for Veilguard. This decision follows the game’s underwhelming commercial performance—despite receiving positive reviews, it sold only 1.5 million copies, just half of EA’s expectations. The lower-than-anticipated sales, along with declining early hype for EA Sports FC 25, contributed to a significant 17% decline in EA’s stock value.
The situation was further highlighted by the departure of Veilguard’s game director, Corrine Busch, who left the company after 18 years of service. According to industry observers, the success of Mass Effect 5 could be pivotal for BioWare’s future.