The fifth entry in the Mass Effect series is reportedly still in production and on track despite recent layoffs and studio shuffling at BioWare.

BioWare general manager Gary McKay tried to explain the current state of the studio in a new blog post that was full of vague ambitions but light on actual specifics. We know that the studio has completely moved on from last year’s Dragon Age: The Veilguard and is focused entirely on making the next Mass Effect.

BioWare now has fewer than 100 employees after laying off “around two dozen” staffers and shifting others to different projects at EA, Bloomberg reports.

The studio is said to have less than 100 active employees at the moment, which constitutes fewer than half of the BioWare staff levels reported in 2023. The drastic downsizing is a mix of layoffs and reshuffles, with company veterans such as Dragon Age lead writer Trick Weekes finding themselves out of a job.

Mass Effect 4 has a chance to refine its RPG mechanics, but looking at Dragon Age: The Veilguard may be the key to deeper customization.

The next Mass Effect project is still growing in size and isn't ready for the bulk of BioWare staff to jump aboard, former studio veteran Mark Darrah has said.

Amid changes at BioWare as the studio shifts its focus to Mass Effect 5, while shuffling some devs to other EA studios and reportedly laying some off, the project director of the upcoming sci-fi RPG has clarified that the game is "still in pre-production.

BioWare is reportedly now down to fewer than 100 employees after a round of layoffs and staff exits following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard and a restructure to focus on the next Mass Effect game.