BioWare Announces Big Job Cuts And Reportedly Parts Ways With Unionized Dragon Age Testers
BioWare announced on August 16, 2023 that it would be laying off approximately 50 employees, or 20% of its workforce. The layoffs affected employees across all levels and disciplines, and were reportedly due to a combination of factors, including the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic and the company’s recent restructuring.
The layoffs also affected a group of unionized Dragon Age testers. The testers had been working on the upcoming game Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, but were laid off as part of the company’s restructuring. The union, Game Workers Alliance, has criticized the layoffs, saying that they were “a betrayal of the workers who have made BioWare games great.”
BioWare has said that it is committed to continuing development on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, and that the layoffs will not affect the game’s release date. However, the layoffs have raised concerns about the future of BioWare and its ability to create high-quality games.
The layoffs are the latest in a series of setbacks for BioWare. The company has been struggling in recent years, and its last game, Mass Effect: Andromeda, was met with mixed reviews. BioWare is hoping that Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be a success and help to turn things around for the company.