BioWare has been "halved in size" following recent restructuring, staff may not return to previous positions

It has been claimed that BioWare now has fewer than 100 employees after it was announced that it would be downsizing to focus on developing the next Mass Effect.

The details:

• Last week, EA announced that BioWare would be downsizing, with "many" employees transitioning to other roles at the publisher. The decision was made following the completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, as the studio's next Mass Effect project does not currently require such a large team.

• According to Bloomberg, employees affected by the decision initially believed that the changes were only temporary and that they would return to BioWare as Mass Effect 5 development continued. However, staff have been informed that their new positions are permanent, and if they want to work at BioWare again, they must apply for new openings. Some were disappointed to learn that they will now be working permanently on teams focused on sports and action franchises rather than the RPG projects that BioWare is known for.

• The sources also claim that BioWare now employs less than 100 people, down from more than 200 just two years ago. It was also previously stated that some positions were terminated entirely, with EA instead offering employees the opportunity to apply for other roles within the company.

• Currently, the studio has a core team focused on Mass Effect, led by director Mike Gamble, which includes several franchise veterans. The next Mass Effect was in early development as of 2020, with only a few small teasers released since then.

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