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Dragon Age 4 lead producer leaves Bioware
- Thread starter CenturionNami
- Start date
I knew this series was functionally dead when Laidlaw left after the first reboot. I don't know if we'll be getting something but if people felt Inquisition wasn't in the spirit of the series, just wait.
You think? The saltiness about DAI being a success is pretty real
Despite all efforts to counter it, success is finite.
Sometimes the best of something can only be made once.
I think it's time for Bioware to move on to either something else or go for a reimagined spiritual successor.
Sometimes the best of something can only be made once.
I think it's time for Bioware to move on to either something else or go for a reimagined spiritual successor.
I have had my issues with Biowares recent games and the stuff that came out about working there, but damn some of you are really eager for that comic to become a reality instead of them fixing their issues...
Save us Casey Hudson, you're our only hope.
After Andromeda and Anthem I desperately need a stellar Dragon Age 4 that gets BioWare back on track.
After Andromeda and Anthem I desperately need a stellar Dragon Age 4 that gets BioWare back on track.
With CDPR, Obsidian, Larian and more recently Owlcat Games active in the wrpg/crpg space, Im not as troubled by Biowares struggle as I would otherwise have been. Hopefully they will pull through though, because despite everything, I think that the world of Dragon Age is one of the most interesting and well developed in all of gaming, even if I found the critical path narrative underwhelming in a few of the DA games.
Even if they dont make it however, I think wrpg fans will be fine. Not only because of all the quality developers in that space, but also because its debatable if Bioware can even be classified as an actor in that space anymore, considering the path that they have chosen.
Even if they dont make it however, I think wrpg fans will be fine. Not only because of all the quality developers in that space, but also because its debatable if Bioware can even be classified as an actor in that space anymore, considering the path that they have chosen.
Not sure what qualifies for major, but DICE, Motive, Maxis, Respawn, Ghost, Tiburon and Canada are still pretty big.
Honestly from what we know about the work conditions at EA it actually makes me a little happy to see people leave.
Very concerning at this point. Anthem, Andromeda and if DA4 is anything like that, then... well.
Not that big of a problem for me as I have a PC that is capable of playing games.
I wish I felt that way. There may be a lot of companies making WRPGs but nothing else quite scratches that BioWare itch.
I'm saying overall, they don't serve a large portion of the market now.
I did remember your article but had forgotten the bit about more people were expected to leave in the coming months. So possibly this is just the continued fallout, and maybe even an indication that the promises that were made 4 months back were simply empty. They painted a picture that they were open to criticism and feedback, but the truth of the matter seems different.
Well with all hands on deck for DA4, and (hopefully) with the lessons learned from their previous two very public flops, I think its reasonable to expect a game that at least matches DA:I in quality, which would be good enough for me. Maybe that wont be enough for EA however, but if all we get is just one more pretty good Bioware RPG that scratches that itch, then I will see it as a win.
The biggest threat to DA4 being decent in my opinion are the EA GaaS mandates, or more specifically a scenario where Bioware, feeling that they need to make up for two consecutive flops, go beyond the required mandates in an attempt to prove to EA that they can be a cash cow. Like, a marginal hit at this point maybe wont even put them in the green considering the past few years. The pressure might push them to go all out on GaaS, with an optimism that they can somehow combine the strengths of Old Bioware with an always online/GaaS model, and hoping for an Apex like hit. Im not sure that the end result of such a scenario would be in line with what wrpg fans would want, nor do I think that Bioware has what it takes to pull that off.
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Bioware seemingly going for a three-peat shows that fixing their issues hasn't been a thing they've been capable of
I do agree the constant cynicism is too much. I've seen companies turn things around, and we have no remote idea what the state of DA4 is in.
Maybe the comic that's been posted over and over for years will come true, maybe they'll blow all our minds instead. But I definitely do get the vibe that enough people want to almost will the comic into reality so they can brag about "calling it" all the years ago.
I'd MUCH rather they fix things up and have a second renaissance of great titles, even if the old guard has left.
BioWare is the only other company next to CD Projekt and Bethesda that make highly cinematic AAA games with roleplaying and conversation choice that really can impact things, and they always have some kind of custom protagonist which makes them some of the most personalized adventures you could have in the AAA space. Even CD Projekt hasn't really nailed the personalization to the level BioWare has but CyberPunk might do that. But I also find BioWare makes these inherently humanitarian games with a lot of optimism in them, even the doomsday ridden Mass Effect plotline which had plenty of wholesome story arcs.
That's what we'll lose but I would also be lying if I said BioWare's writing hasn't become a shell of its former self. Even the best writers can't champion how generally worse the quality of writing for story and dialogue has become in their last 3 or so games. It started going in the wrong direction when plotting fell off a cliff, as early as ME2 and DA2, and then ME3 marked a start for worsening conversation dialogue, and Andromeda and Anthem kind of put it into the ground.
I'm expecting a game that feels much better to play. I also suspect they're currently reappropriating the Javelin modes in Anthem into multiple classes, probably without the ability to fly but I could see the Colossus becoming a Qunari smasher class and Interceptor being an elf with a bow and dual blades and stuff.
If they can just get back to a focused experience, that emphasizes player choice and character relationships, I think DA4 will be fine.
Instead they've been chasing the open-world brass ring for three games now with worse and worse results.
Instead they've been chasing the open-world brass ring for three games now with worse and worse results.
Still salty over the the 'reboot' of project Joplin. It sounded like just what the doctor ordered for BioWare, gameplay and brand-wise.
Why can't we have nice things?
jschreier said:
Why can't we have nice things?