Ex-Dragon Age: Dreadwolf devs sue BioWare over ‘shortchanged’ severance pay

Seven employees are suing Dragon Age: Dreadwolf developer BioWare in a bid to receive fair compensation after being laid off last month.

Despite recent court cases in Alberta awarding an entire month’s severance pay to workers in similar circumstances, former BioWare employees were allegedly offered a significantly less amount, according to a statement shared online. While it appears some have agreed to this number, seven employees instead chose to refuse.

Those former employees are now suing the company, seeking fair severance pay and punitive damages for BioWare’s treatment. A representative for the employees says BioWare attempted to reduce its obligations to the seven individuals.

“BioWare attempted to reduce its obligation to these employees well below what the courts typically award, including by eliminating benefits from its termination pay—that appears to be contrary to the Employment Standards Code,” the Oct. 3 statement reads.

“These people are artists and creators who have worked very hard for a very long time in a difficult industry, producing big profits for their employer. Their termination without cause en masse like this calls for a response.”

The former BioWare employees who worked on the upcoming Dragon Age sequel won’t be able to showcase their hard work in their portfolios. Due to this, many fear they won’t be able to find work for the holiday season.

Despite the layoffs, former employees say they are still supportive of the titles they worked on, including Dreadwolf, which is expected to land in the summer of 2024.

The BioWare layoffs in August impacted 50 now former employees, many of whom had spent more than 14 years working at the gaming company. Recently, the video games industry has seen several layoffs, including at Epic Games in September.