BioWare解雇《龙腾世纪》开发团队，专注于《质量效应》

Key Dragon Age developers depart BioWare following restructuring for Mass Effect 5.

On January 29th, IGN reported that BioWare had reassigned numerous developers to other EA projects, fully concentrating resources on Mass Effect 5. General manager Gary McKay explained this restructuring as an opportunity to "reimagine how we work" between development cycles, stating that the full studio's support wasn't currently needed for Mass Effect 5. McKay confirmed that many employees were successfully placed in suitable roles within EA.

However, a smaller number of Dragon Age team members faced termination, with the option to apply for other internal positions. Subsequently, several BioWare developers announced their departures on social media, including editor Karin West-Weekes, narrative designer and lead writer on Dragon Age: The Veilguard Trick Weekes, editor Ryan Cormier, producer Jen Cheverie, and senior systems designer Michelle Flamm. These departures follow 2023 layoffs and the recent exit of Dragon Age: The Veilguard director Corinne Busche.

EA's response to inquiries regarding the number of affected individuals remained vague, emphasizing the sufficient staffing for Mass Effect 5's current development stage. They confirmed that the studio's focus has shifted entirely to Mass Effect following the completion of Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, the first new entry in the franchise in a decade, concluded its development last week with what appeared to be a final major update. The game's launch was underwhelming, with BioWare confirming the absence of post-launch DLC, a significant departure from previous Dragon Age titles. EA further acknowledged that Dragon Age: The Veilguard missed sales projections by a substantial 50%, achieving only 1.5 million players against a target of three million. The game's development had already been marked by challenges, including layoffs and the departure of key personnel.

Meanwhile, EA confirmed that a core team at BioWare, led by veterans of the original Mass Effect trilogy (including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, and Parrish Ley), is developing the next Mass Effect game.