From Glory to Ghost Town
Ah, Bioware. Once the king of RPGs, churning out classics like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, it seems the powerhouse has become a ghost of its former self. Bloomberg reports that the studio, which once boasted over 400 talented developers, now barely has enough personnel to form a decent gaming party—fewer than 100 employees remain. Talk about a tragic tale!
What Went Wrong?
After the ambitious yet disappointing launch of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which noticeably underperformed by 50% in sales, EA initiated a sweeping restructure. It’s been rumored that they ‘loaned’ developers to other EA studios right before the sales debacle hit the fan. This move feels less like a helping hand and more like saying, ‘Good luck finding a new job, we’ll think of you fondly.’
Mark Darrah’s Prophetic Words
Former producer Mark Darrah accurately predicted that Bioware had become a ‘one game at a time’ type of operation. Indeed, many of the devs were left without projects until the next Mass Effect was ready to go into full production. As the dust settles on the studio’s dramatic downsizing, it appears we may have reached the end of an era. Let’s just hope the brave souls remaining find a way to rekindle that old magic—before the last light flickers out.
