Another studio joins the EA graveyard. EA is such an awful company. Bioware made Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, and Jade Empire. What a great studio it was. RIP o7
Honestly, this is one where I can’t put all of the blame on EA. Bioware has been in a decline since My Face Is Tired, and a complete freefall since Anthem. Veilguard was their last chance and they blew it. The Bioware we’re nostallgic for (Baldur’s Gate, KOTOR, DA:O) hasn’t existed for years, and “Bioware magic” turned out to be a fart in the wind.
It’s because most of the people who made those games probably left. Companies don’t make games, people do.
Even the people who don’t leave, after having some success, may end up getting promoted. Once promoted their talents may not be suited to management or the promotion might go to their head and they’ll be undone by their own hubris.
It’s a minor miracle that any group of people manage to make more than one banger game in a row.
I think my issue is more how the IPs go to the graveyard not so much the companies. As you said the company hadn’t been doing great. But it always seems like publishers just hoard ideas only to do nothing useful with them.
Another studio joins the EA graveyard. EA is such an awful company. Bioware made Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age, Mass Effect, KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, and Jade Empire. What a great studio it was. RIP o7
Honestly, this is one where I can’t put all of the blame on EA. Bioware has been in a decline since My Face Is Tired, and a complete freefall since Anthem. Veilguard was their last chance and they blew it. The Bioware we’re nostallgic for (Baldur’s Gate, KOTOR, DA:O) hasn’t existed for years, and “Bioware magic” turned out to be a fart in the wind.
(edit) And let’s be real, Anthem wasn’t EA’s doing. Most of the game’s failures were Bioware’s fault, mostly incompetent management. https://kotaku.com/how-biowares-anthem-went-wrong-1833731964
It’s because most of the people who made those games probably left. Companies don’t make games, people do.
Even the people who don’t leave, after having some success, may end up getting promoted. Once promoted their talents may not be suited to management or the promotion might go to their head and they’ll be undone by their own hubris.
It’s a minor miracle that any group of people manage to make more than one banger game in a row.
I think my issue is more how the IPs go to the graveyard not so much the companies. As you said the company hadn’t been doing great. But it always seems like publishers just hoard ideas only to do nothing useful with them.
EA bought BioWare in 2007. Sometimes enshittification has a long tail.
Yup, it used to be great. Another great will rise, the cycle shall continue.
Ngl, anthem was a lot of fun mechanically. Great Iron Man sim
And when did ea acquire bioware?
Aw shit I forgot about Jade Empire. Fuckkk EA.
some of my favorite games ever made. what a travesty.