BioWare shutting down is heartbreaking news for anyone who grew up playing its RPGs, but I can’t help thinking it might be the best thing for Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The studio’s closure was confirmed on October 21st, ending more than three decades of game development and canceling the next Mass Effect game. After the reception of Mass Effect: Andromeda and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, it is no surprise, but it is painful because of these series’ legacy. But the BioWare responsible for those legendary games has long since moved on, leaving the studio a shell of its former self before its shutdown.
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But just because BioWare is gone, it doesn’t mean Dragon Age and Mass Effect have to be gone as well. In all honesty, the series were all but gone while under the name BioWare and EA. The original games were ones that players never forgot, myself included, and they still hold up today. Compare that to the studio’s most recent entry in the series, and many fans couldn’t even finish the games. So, in a strange way, perhaps EA closing BioWare is a good thing for the series, because it opens the door for another developer to pick them up and possibly return them to glory.
The BioWare That Created Dragon Age and Mass Effect Was Already Gone
It’s difficult to discuss BioWare’s closure without acknowledging how dramatically the developer changed over the years. The studio that created Dragon Age: Origins and the original Mass Effect trilogy was built around developers who understood their respective worlds, characters, and storytelling philosophies. However, many of these developers have gone elsewhere, such as the upcoming Exodus. With so many important members departing, the studio was BioWare mostly in name.
Of course, developers leaving doesn’t automatically mean their successors are incapable of creating excellent games. BioWare still employed talented people, and things were looking up, especially for the next Mass Effect. Having experienced developers involved is valuable, but it doesn’t guarantee that the entire studio still shares the creative philosophy responsible for its earlier successes. Unfortunately, BioWare’s recent output offered little reassurance that it had found its footing again.
This isn’t to say that Dragon Age and Mass Effect needed to remain unchanged. Experimenting with new ideas is important, but unfortunately, BioWare’s decision on Veilguard and Andromeda just wasn’t the right direction. Dragon Age: Origins embraced difficult decisions, tactical combat, and complicated political conflicts. The original Mass Effect trilogy combined exploration, memorable companions, and consequences spanning multiple games. Comparing the newer games to these just showed how different expectations and reality are.
Dragon Age: The Veilguard and Mass Effect: Andromeda Showed BioWare’s Problems
The warning signs were visible long before EA decided to close BioWare. Released in 2017, Mass Effect: Andromeda attempted to move the franchise beyond Commander Shepard’s story with a new galaxy, characters, and exploration opportunities. But technical problems, uneven writing, and disappointing character animations overshadowed any ambition the game had. The combat and environmental exploration were good, but they weren’t enough to carry the game.
Then came Dragon Age: The Veilguard in 2024. After waiting a decade following Dragon Age: Inquisition, there was a lot riding on this game. Its lighter tone, streamlined role-playing systems, and approach to storytelling disappointed longtime fans. The game certainly had its moments, and I did enjoy the overall game, but it just didn’t feel like a Dragon Age game, but rather something that simply had the name slapped on after the idea already came together.
What frustrates me most about these games isn’t that they tried something different, but that they just didn’t understand what fans loved about the original games. Mass Effect: Andromeda had an entire galaxy to explore but struggled to deliver companions as compelling as those aboard the Normandy. The Veilguard offered polished action combat but sacrificed complexity and morality I associate with the series. Both had redeeming qualities, and their developers deserve credit for those accomplishments, but in the end, the series had lost its way.
Dragon Age and Mass Effect Deserve Another Chance With Different Developers
BioWare’s closure doesn’t automatically mean Dragon Age and Mass Effect are finished forever. EA still controls the intellectual property, and there’s currently no confirmed announcement that either franchise will be sold or transferred to another developer. Nevertheless, the shutdown creates an opportunity to reconsider their futures. By licensing these series to other acclaimed developers, both series can get a second chance at redemption, and possibly reach the heights of the originals.
There are already examples of beloved RPG franchises thriving beyond their original creators. Larian Studios transformed Baldur’s Gate into a modern blockbuster with Baldur’s Gate 3, and it became one of the most beloved games of all time. Another developer can do the same with Dragon Age and Mass Effect. The answer to who that developer is remains unclear, but with so many talented studios and the pedigree of the series’ history, EA could easily find a developer willing to give it a try.
None of this makes BioWare’s closure a victory worth celebrating. Talented developers are losing their jobs, and one of the most influential chapters of gaming history has ended. Still, I would rather see Dragon Age and Mass Effect entrusted to ambitious teams that understand their appeal than watch them slowly fade under the weight of their former developer’s reputation. The studio’s legacy deserves respect, but its franchises deserve a future. Sometimes preserving what made something special means accepting that the people responsible for carrying it forward might need to change.
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