BioWare is laying off ‘approximately’ 50 people

theverge.com:

By Ash Parrish, a reporter who has covered the business, culture, and communities of video games for seven years. Previously, she worked at Kotaku.

BioWare is laying off “approximately” 50 people, according to an announcement from the studio’s general manager, Gary McKay.

“In order to meet the needs of our upcoming projects, continue to hold ourselves to the highest standard of quality, and ensure BioWare can continue to thrive in an industry that’s rapidly evolving, we must shift towards a more agile and more focused studio,” McKay wrote. “As part of this transition, we are eliminating approximately 50 roles at BioWare.”

News of the layoffs comes as BioWare is in the midst of development on the next Mass Effect title and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. BioWare announced Dreadwolf back in 2018 (known then only as Dragon Age 4) before going silent for two years. Then, during Gamescom 2020, BioWare released a short behind-the-scenes video that showed off bits of concept art and included a message from developers that progress on Dreadwolf was continuing apace. Later that same year, fans were treated to a short, light-on-detail trailer that teased the game’s eponymous villain… and that’s it. There’s been no news about this game, no gameplay, no new concept art, and no information on the protagonist or companions in three years.

Instead, much of the news coming from the studio has been a litany of high-profile departures. In 2020, Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah left. In 2021, Dreadwolf’s senior creative director, Matt Goldman, also left. Most recently, Mac Walters, a 19-year BioWare veteran and Dreadwolf’s production director, left in January.

McKay wrote that BioWare is working to help the impacted employees find jobs elsewhere