“In order to break out beyond the core audience, games need to directly connect to the evolving demands of players who increasingly seek shared-world features and deeper engagement alongside high-quality narratives in this beloved category,” Wilson said in an investor call.

Dragon Age and Mass Effect studio BioWare has been hit by layoffs following the underperformance of its flagship RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Three months have now passed since BioWare finally saw the long-awaited release of its new RPG Dragon Age: The Veilguard – and despite favorable reviews from critics, EA states that the game failed to reach a "broad enough audience."

There is really no getting around the fact that BioWare is in dire straits at the moment, now at the end of a decade of three missed opportunities

According to IGN, "a number" of BioWare developers have been placed by EA into other equivalent roles within the company. Howeer, a smaller number of Dragon Age staff members are also seeing their positions shelved, and are being offered time to apply to other roles within the company (if they so wish).

The Veilguard failed at least partially because it didn’t have live-service elements. The gaming landscape has changed quite radically over the last decade. Games like Destiny and Fortnite have encouraged developers to look toward making its games everlasting rather than an experience that lasts a finite amount of time.

The Veilguard may have performed below the company's financial expectations. These comments have made their way to the team at BioWare and beyond, and they haven't been received well by key Dragon Age figureheads.

Former Dragon Age lead developers have reacted to the suggestion by publisher EA that the series' most recent entry would have sold better as a live-service game. This week, EA boss Andrew Wilson said players "increasingly seek shared world features and deeper engagement",