BioWare has announced it'll be laying off approximately 50 employees - approximately 20 percent of its total workforce according to recent employment figures - as part of a "shift towards a more agile and more focused studio".

"In order to meet the needs of our upcoming projects, continue to hold ourselves to the highest standard of quality, and ensure BioWare can continue to thrive in an industry that's rapidly evolving," BioWare general manager Gary McKay wrote in a post shared on the developer's website, "we must shift towards a more agile and more focused studio. It will allow our developers to iterate quickly, unlock more creativity, and form a clear vision of what we're building before development ramps up."

"To achieve this," McKay continued, "we find ourselves in a position where change is not only necessary, but unavoidable. As difficult as this is to say, rethinking our approach to development inevitably means reorganising our team to match the studio's changing needs."

Dragon Age: Beowolf is one of two games confirmed to be in development at BioWare.

As part of this restructuring, approximately 50 people at BioWare will lose their jobs. "We are doing everything we can to ensure the process is handled with empathy, respect, and clear communication," McKay insists.

"We've chosen to act now in part to provide our impacted colleagues with as many internal opportunities as possible," explains McKay elsewhere in the post. "These changes coincide with a significant number of roles that are currently open across EA's other studios."McKay says affected employees will be provided with professional resources and assistance as they apply for these positions, but admits it's "unlikely" that everyone will find a new role in the company.

McKay calls today's restructuring part of a "long-term vision that will preserve the health of the studio and better enable us to do what we do best: create exceptional story-driven single-player experiences filled with vast worlds and rich characters". He also confirms both Dragon Age: Dreadwolf and the next Mass Effect remain in development, despite the significant layoffs.

"Let me be clear that our dedication to [Dragon Age: Dreadwolf] has never wavered," he writes. "Our commitment remains steadfast, and we all are working to make this game worthy of the Dragon Age name. We are confident that we'll have the time needed to ensure Dreadwolf reaches its full potential."

Today's BioWare news follows EA's announcement in March that it planned to lay off around six percent of its workforce - potentially amounting to over 750 job cuts - as part of "restructuring".