The BioWare layoffs have officially begun in the wake of Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s catastrophic failure.
Despite BioWare’s initial restructuring announcement noting that it would be moving team members to other EA divisions and avoiding the word “layoffs” entirely, the reality has now become clear—developers who worked on Veilguard are being cut.
Dragon Age Director Corinne Busche – YouTube, Smash JT
This comes shortly after Veilguard director Corinne Busche’s exit, which was framed as a voluntary departure, though few believe the disgraced director left by choice after overseeing one of the most disastrous releases in BioWare’s history.
Just yesterday, BioWare released a statement in a post on the studio’s official blog. Studio general manager Gary McKay announced that the company is shifting its focus entirely to the next Mass Effect game—effectively sidelining Dragon Age after the latest installment’s disastrous reception.
A screenshot from Mass Effect Legendary Edition (2021), BioWare
“Given this stage of development, we don’t require support from the full studio,” McKay said. “We have incredible talent here at BioWare, and so we have worked diligently over the past few months to match many of our colleagues with other teams at EA that had open roles that were a strong fit.”
But apparently he didn’t mean all of their colleagues.
A screenshot from Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), BioWare
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Among those let go are Trick Weekes and Karin West Weekes, two longtime BioWare veterans who confirmed their departures on Bluesky. Trick Weekes, who served as Veilguard’s lead writer, previously worked on every game and expansion in the original Mass Effect trilogy, Dragon Age: Origins, and Inquisition.
Karin Weekes, an editor with credits on Mass Effect 2, 3, Andromeda, and multiple Dragon Age titles, was also removed. The BioWare layoffs extend beyond writing staff, with producers, system designers, analysts, and other team members also cut as EA guts the studio to refocus on Mass Effect.
Both Trick and Karin confirmed that they were let go through posts on Bluesky.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard devs confirm they were let go from BioWare in posts on Bluesky – Bluesky
The BioWare layoffs extend well beyond the high-profile departures of Dragon Age: The Veilguard’s lead writer and editor. More key developers across multiple disciplines have also been shown the door as EA continues its aggressive restructuring of the studio.
Among them is Ryan Cormier, an editor who worked on Star Wars: The Old Republic, Anthem, and Veilguard. His departure further signals that BioWare is moving away from the team responsible for its most recent flop, likely in an attempt to salvage what remains of the studio’s reputation.
Also cut was Jennifer Cheverie, a longtime BioWare veteran who served as a tester, analyst, and producer on multiple major projects, including Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Anthem, and Veilguard. With her exit, BioWare is shedding another figure tied to its modern development pipeline—one that has largely struggled to deliver the kind of quality experiences that defined the studio’s golden era.
A screenshot from Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), BioWare
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The layoffs didn’t stop there. Daniel Steed, a producer who worked on Star Wars: The Old Republic – Legacy of the Sith and Veilguard is out, as well as Lina Anderson, a senior product manager. Michelle Flamm, a systems designer, and Mad Bee, a UX designer, were also cut.
This latest development further highlights the fallout from The Veilguard’s commercial disaster. EA had projected that the game would sell over 10 million copies across its lifespan. Instead, it barely managed to “engage” 1.5 million players, with reports indicating over 30,000 returns and widespread retailer discounting.
GameStop recently slashed the price of brand-new copies to $24.99, a staggering 65% drop from its launch price of $69.99, and tanked its trade-in value after just one week. It’s a clear sign that demand has completely cratered, leaving EA scrambling to mitigate the damage.
A screenshot from Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), BioWare
The BioWare layoffs are a direct response to the studio’s failure to connect with players, as Veilguard prioritized identity politics over compelling storytelling and worldbuilding. Fans rejected the game’s tone and lack of depth, leading to its financial collapse. With the developers responsible now being shown the door, EA appears to be acknowledging that this direction was a mistake.
At the same time, BioWare has assured fans that the next Mass Effect is in the hands of veterans from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley.
Unlike Veilguard, which alienated its core audience, this announcement might signal a return to form for the franchise, but there’s no guarantee of that.
A screenshot from Dragon Age: The Veilguard (2024), BioWare
The BioWare layoffs mark a major shift for the studio. EA is clearly trying to distance itself from Veilguard’s failure and rebuild BioWare around its more successful franchises. With Mass Effect now its sole focus, the studio has one last chance to regain the trust of players and prove it can still deliver a great RPG. Whether it succeeds remains to be seen, but at least this time, it won’t be bogged down by the same mistakes that doomed Veilguard.
Do you think these BioWare layoffs will lead to better things for the troubled developer? Sound off in the comments and let us know!
