Mass Effect developer BioWare is laying off around 50 employees

BioWare, the creators of Mass Effect and Dragon Age, has confirmed the layoff of approximately 50 employees as part of its "long-term vision that will preserve the studio's health.”

The details:

• General manager Gary McKay announced the internal reshuffling in a new blog post, stating that it is necessary to become a "more agile and focused studio" to "meet the needs of [BioWare's] upcoming projects." “After much consideration and careful planning, we have built a long-term vision that will preserve the health of the studio and better enable us to do what we do best: create exceptional story-driven single-player experiences filled with vast worlds and rich characters,” McKay wrote. “This vision balances the current needs of the studio—namely, ensuring Dragon Age: Dreadwolf is an outstanding game—with its future, including the success of the next Mass Effect.”
• Around 50 positions are being eliminated at the studio, with some employees being relocated to other areas of EA. McKay claims that the studio is ensuring that the "process is handled with empathy, respect, and clear communication," and that it will assist in any way it can.
• McKay also provided an update on the progress of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. “If you’re wondering how all of this will impact the development of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, let me be clear that our dedication to the game has never wavered,” McKay said. “Our commitment remains steadfast, and we all are working to make this game worthy of the Dragon Age name. We are confident that we’ll have the time needed to ensure Dreadwolf reaches its full potential.”
• BioWare laid off employees in June as the studio prepared to hand over the development of Star Wars: The Old Republic to Broadsword Online Games. While some of the 70 to 80 project employees were transferred to the partner alongside the title, others were either relocated to other areas of EA or lost their jobs entirely.

More gaming news:

• Tekken 8 will be released on January 24, 2023, and pre-orders for all three editions are now open. Those who pre-order the fighting game will receive costumes for their avatar in the game's new Arcade Quest mode.
• The Xbox 360's online store will close on July 29, 2024, which means that players will no longer be able to purchase content through the console or its website. However, previously purchased content can still be re-downloaded, and films and TV shows can be viewed on the Xbox One, Series X/S, and PC via the Movies & TV app.