BioWare has confirmed a number of studio staff will be laid off in the coming weeks, as a result of development work for Star Wars: The Old Republic being transitioned to a new studio, Broadsword. While many of the current roles associated with the ongoing game will remain, with some staff transferring to Broadsword, BioWare has revealed some jobs will also be cut in this process.
‘No big change comes without challenges,’ Gary McKay, General Manager of BioWare announced in a blog post. ‘Among them is the fact that most of the current team will be invited to accompany the game on its move to Broadsword, though unfortunately not every role will make the move. This is the hardest part of this transition, and these decisions were not made lightly.’
Impacted team members are reportedly being supported by BioWare, with opportunity for staff to be placed in new roles within EA.
This blog post confirms earlier reports of The Old Republic‘s departure, and a renewed focus on Mass Effect and Dragon Age for BioWare.
Read: Star Wars: The Old Republic reportedly set to leave BioWare
‘As we look toward the future, BioWare is focused on being a leader in developing immersive, emotionally charged, single-player games, with teams primarily in Austin and Edmonton,’ McKay confirmed.
‘This means a renewed focus on our two key franchises: Dragon Age and Mass Effect. For Dragon Age, we continue to build, polish, and tune an exceptional experience we know our fans will love. We can’t wait to share more on this soon. For Mass Effect, we continue pre-production with a core team of veteran storytellers who are bringing the deep franchise history forward in a spectacular new way.’
Star Wars: The Old Republic first launched in 2011, and is now entering its twilight years as an MMORPG. According to BioWare, Broadsword is well positioned to continue supporting the ongoing game, and growing it with fresh content.
‘Both the Broadsword studio and SWTOR team members will be joining forces and working tirelessly to support “every player, every day”, ensuring that these worlds and these communities continue to thrive and grow,’ McKay said.
