EA recently announced that RPG giantBioWarewould be ceasing all involvement on the development ofStar Wars: The Old Republicin favor of focusing onMass EffectandDragon Age. The move didn’t come as a massive shock to fans, as all future development onAnthemhad already been canceled in 2021, signaling an intention from EA forBioWareto focus its development efforts on its two biggest franchises.
BioWareconcentrating its resources onMass EffectandDragon Agehas its advantages and drawbacks, with the advantages being that fans can expect to see more of these incredibly popular and well-written franchises without the missteps ofMass Effect: Andromeda. These franchises have always been single-player experiences, and it’s in this domain that BioWare shines as a developer. Rather than having resources diverted to new MMO IPs such asAnthemor developing new multiplayer components of single-player games, BioWare can instead be expected to concentrate on what it does best.
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BioWare’s Struggles Left Its Future Uncertain
EA’s strategy of makingBioWare transition to developing MMOsinstead of the single-player games it had built its reputation on backfired when it leftMass Effecthanging in favor of pouring resources intoAnthem. The result wasMass Effect: Andromeda’s release to lukewarm reviews criticizing poor animation and a story that disappointed fans. Developer support forMass Effectshortly ended because of its shaky launch, and the community anticipated the end of the franchise as BioWare were working towardsAnthem’s release.
Anthem’s launch, however, turned out even worse thanAndromeda’s, with reviews from critics and fans alike criticizing the bugs, loot, and a boring story.Anthem’s lackluster story was the worst knock of all, as it was a departure from BioWare’s hallmark of gripping storytelling. AsAnthemhad all of BioWare’s best on the team, EA realized there was a fundamental problem and action had to be taken, which was seen in the reboot ofDragon Age: Dreadwolf’s production from a multiplayer to fully single-player game.
BioWare Needs Both a Comfort Zone and New Ideas
Anthem’s disastrous launchseemed to spook EA, and while the commitment toMass EffectandDragon Ageas single-player experiences is a step in the right direction, BioWare cannot remain a two IP company forever. It needs to be able to branch out creatively. It’s hard to remember that BioWare started out by exclusively creating video games based on the IPs of other companies, such asStar Wars: Knights of the Old RepublicandNeverwinter Nights.Today, BioWare is a developer that is very good at creating IPs when given the time to do so, allowed to work with the technology designed for the games it develops, and working within the genres it specializes in.
Limiting BioWare to its two successful IPs will be stifling an incredibly successful studio filled with creative talent, and would be a massive loss to the industry. The best case scenario for BioWare at this stage would be forDragon Age: DreadwolfandMass Effect 4to have successful launches, after which EA could give BioWare the time, resources, technology, and staff to develop a new single-player IP. This would give BioWare the space to expand its successful IPs, all while letting the studio develop as a leader in the industry rather than remaining stagnant.
Fans of BioWare don’t want to see their favorite franchises disappear, and news of moreMass EffectandDragon Agewas received with enthusiasm. BioWare seems to have entered a new phase as a studio and its direction seems to be more positive than it’s been in years, but there is some way to go before fans of the studio can rest easy that all is well.
Dragon Age: Dreadwolfis in development.
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