Comments Made By A Former Bioware Writer Have Fans Concerned About The Future Of Mass Effect And Dragon Age Series

We’ve been waiting for ages to hear anything about the long-awaited sequels to the Dragon Age and Mass Effect franchises, but we still haven’t heard anything. Looking at the timeline, the most recent foray into these franchises was in 2017, with the release of Mass Effect Andromeda, which disappointed fans. While many people praised Andromeda’s gameplay and even compared some mechanics to those in the original series, the narrative left a lot to be desired.

The Dragon Age and Mass Effect series have always been narrative-focused RPGs, and they would be nothing if it weren’t for their deep storytelling and complex characters, which have captivated audiences worldwide. However, if Anthem in 2019 is any indication, Bioware’s focus no longer appears to be on that.

Bioware has fallen from grace.

With games like Baldur’s Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, and, of course, Mass Effect and Dragon Age under their belt, everyone thought they could do no wrong. However, their recent botched releases have worried Bioware fans. Not only that, but even the writers are concerned about the direction of this gaming behemoth.

David Gaider, a former Bioware writer who worked on Baldur’s Gate 2, Neverwinter Nights, KOTOR, and Dragon Age, recently spoke out about this new direction and how Bioware appears to be caring less and less about their narratives.

Even BioWare, which built its success on a reputation for good stories and characters, slowly turned from a company that vocally valued its writers to one where we were… quietly resented, with a reliance on expensive narrative seen as the "albatross" holding the company back.

— David Gaider (@davidgaider) May 3, 2023

The Untitled Mass Effect 3 sequel has a lot riding on it right now. Especially because it will continue the story of Mass Effect 3, which has people wondering when it will happen. We only have a brief teaser trailer to give us a taste of the plot. Because the ending of Mass Effect 3 disappointed fans, continuing after the conclusion of Shepard’s story is a risky move on Bioware’s part.

Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, on the other hand, has been stuck in development hell for a long time. The last game in the series was Inquisition, which was well-received by fans worldwide, but that is precisely why this new series is being scrutinized. It is clear that if Bioware wants to return to their former glory, they must return to their roots and focus on deep character-driven stories.