In a recent update from BioWare, excitement brews as they share insights about the upcoming Mass Effect 5. The studio has moved some employees to different Electronic Arts projects while maintaining a focused team dedicated to crafting this beloved franchise.
The latest blog post from BioWare reveals that their current project doesn’t require the full studio’s support. This decision has led to several employees being reassigned to “other teams at EA that had open roles that were a strong fit.” It’s worth noting that alongside these shifts, reports indicate a small number of terminations among Dragon Age team members, adding uncertainty around the studio.
The leadership guiding Mass Effect 5 includes some familiar faces from the original trilogy:
- Michael Gamble: Manager and Producer on Mass Effect 2, Mass Effect 3, and Andromeda.
- Preston Watamaniuk: Lead Designer on the original trilogy.
- Parrish Ley: Cinematic Animator for the original trilogy.
- Derek Watts: Art Director for the original trilogy.
This roster brings hope that they can navigate potential challenges ahead. Many fans see this title as crucial for BioWare’s reputation following the troubled launch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Although it saw some critical praise, selling only 1.5 million copies fell short of EA’s expectations by half. To add to their woes, EA Sports FC 25 also missed internal goals, leading to a notable drop in stock value recently reported at 17%.
The exit of Corrine Busch, director of Veilguard, after nearly two decades with BioWare, raises further questions about stability within the company. With so much riding on Mass Effect 5, players are naturally anxious about how these changes might impact gameplay or story quality.
Your thoughts matter! Do you think these workforce changes will affect what we see in Mass Effect 5?