BioWare - The Cracks Are Starting To Appear

Dhruin · May 9, 2011

Hooked Gamers writes The Cracks Are Starting To Show:

Gamers have been polarised by the news that Mass Effect 3 has been delayed until 2012. Some were left weeping uncontrollably on their knees, whereas others were glad to hear that BioWare had grown the balls to spend more time developing one of the most beloved franchises in gaming.

It is an alluring thought that the delay could be a reaction to feedback received from players on BioWare’s most recent release. After all, thousands of fans expressed their disappointment in Dragon Age 2 and Mass Effect 3 suffering a similar fate would be devastating to BioWare’s standing in the community. I fear, however, that other reasons are behind the decision. Those reasons can be found in statements made by EA CEO John Riccitiello during EA’s latest 'investors update':
"[Bioware] is adjusting some of the gameplay mechanics and some of the features, which we'll see at E3, that can put this into a genre equivalent of shooter meets RPG, and essentially address a far larger market opportunity than Mass Effect 1 and Mass Effect 2 began to approach."
Oh dear.

While we're talking the Mass Effect series, GameInformer notes a Normandy miniature in the works for those who collect stuff. Thanks to Zohaib for both of these.
More information.

Von Paulus · May 9, 2011

Glad that this is the last episode, or we could end up having a CoD in space if there were more.
Well, we all know that CoD has RPG elements, doesn't it?

Elwro · May 9, 2011

I'm betting there'll be yearly episodes from now on.

Tragos · May 9, 2011

I have never play any of the ME games but i think the question is obvious : why they don't just make a shooter ?

Von Paulus · May 10, 2011

Tragos said:
I have never play any of the ME games but i think the question is obvious : why they don't just make a shooter ?

Well, maybe they will end up doing it with ME3.

TheMadGamer · May 10, 2011

I've never been able to understand why EA buys up CRPG developers only to mutate their CRPG series' into something they're not, then watch sales drop off, and lastly, they blame the developer and disolve the studio. They've done it now so many times. Wish they could just stick to Madden Football 907...

wolfing · May 10, 2011

EA executives:
- Lots of people play shooters
- RPG? What's that?
- Mass Effect is RPG? nah, let's make it a shooter
- Dragon Age is RPG? nah, let's make it a shooter. What do you mean we can't make it a shooter? Let's make it a shooter, OR ELSE!
Results:
Mass Effect of Duty and Dragon Effect.

skavenhorde · May 10, 2011

I hoped maybe they learned their lesson and maybe they did because Bioware seems to be stronger than ever. They're not making RPGs anymore, but they're not going down the tubes like Origin and Bullfrog did.

There is still Obsidian, CDP RED and (I can't believe I'm saying this) Bethesda. I never would have thought that I would be looking forward to a Bethesda title more than a Bioware one, but these Fallouts…..I love em. Fallout 3 was dumber than dirt, but it was fun. Fallout New Vegas was brilliant.

Not to mention all of the RPG Indies, roguelikes and total conversions out there. There are so many better RPGs out there now that I hardly will notice that one major dev isn't making them anymore.

So I say let Bioware have their shooters, MMOs and whatever the hell Dragon Age 2 was. I sure won't miss them and might still get some entertainment out of their shooters since I do love me some mindless killing from time to time.

When one RPG dev falls others take its place. It's been like for years now. So all hail the next RPG Dev leader…..whichever one that will be

My money is on Obsidian.

figment · May 10, 2011

I think the main reason they shouldn't try to make a straight up shooter is that there are much better development houses at making FPSs. If they call it an FPS they will be graded on same curve as Crytek, Infinity Ward, Valve or whoever those developers are these days. I suppose the inference is that a mid to low tier FPS developer will still make more than top tier RPG developers or that EA doesn't give a care in the world about RPGs anymore or both.

ManWhoJaped · May 10, 2011

A shooter alone is not enough to capture people's attention easily and console shooters are necessarily shitty corridor shooters, but ultimately it's the easiest and therefore cheapest game to make which can be made for consoles and PC.

So all the shooters get more and more RPG elments, all the RPGs are made with the same tools as the shooters. Everything is being melded into one half assed game genre where you walk around, dress your character up, gain levels, join guilds, and watch cutscenes.

Corwin · May 10, 2011

Just think; if the original (and best) System Shock were made today, it would likely be a HUGE success!! Pity.........Remake anyone.

DoctorNarrative · May 10, 2011

TheMadGamer said:
I've never been able to understand why EA buys up CRPG developers only to mutate their CRPG series' into something they're not, then watch sales drop off, and lastly, they blame the developer and disolve the studio. They've done it now so many times. Wish they could just stick to Madden Football 907…

Bioware already made KoTOR, Jade Empire and Mass Effect by the time they were purchased by EA. While I am not arguing against the idea that EA has had a negative effect on them I don't think they are taking them in a direction Bioware were not already interested in moving toward.

If you spend any time at all on Bioware forums their developers make their motivations quite clear. They want to avoid the fate of Black Isle and Troika at all cost and they want to sell millions of copies. To do that you need to make mainstream games, period.

ChienAboyeur · May 10, 2011

Tragos said:
I have never play any of the ME games but i think the question is obvious : why they don't just make a shooter ?

They have done but they dont market it as a shooter. They are a nobody in the shooter industry, few references. They are a big somebody in the RPG industry.

Their shooter is out of its league compared to shooter giants' offer. If the CoD players did not show up, it is maybe because ME2 offer is subpar in terms of shooter.

blackcanopus · May 10, 2011

Tragos said:
I have never play any of the ME games but i think the question is obvious : why they don't just make a shooter ?

Excuse me? ME and ME2 are shooters.

Tragos · May 10, 2011

ChienAboyeur said:
They have done but they dont market it as a shooter. They are a nobody in the shooter industry, few references. They are a big somebody in the RPG industry.

Their shooter is out of its league compared to shooter giants' offer. If the CoD players did not show up, it is maybe because ME2 offer is subpar in terms of shooter.

So it is inferior to averageshooters as a shooter and inferior to average rpgs as an rpg , makes you wonder how they manage to sell so many millions of copies…

blackcanopus said:
Excuse me? ME and ME2 are shooters.

Did you read what i posted? Obviously EA wants to make a shooter , why masking it with "rpg elements" ?

JemyM · May 10, 2011

Mass Effect is really a poor shooter and a poor rpg.
It's greatness comes from being an interactive movie really but it's almost like the game would improve if you had a "skip action scene" function, like the old Sierra games.

GothicGothicness · May 10, 2011

TheMadGamer said:
I've never been able to understand why EA buys up CRPG developers only to mutate their CRPG series' into something they're not, then watch sales drop off, and lastly, they blame the developer and disolve the studio. They've done it now so many times. Wish they could just stick to Madden Football 907…

Well, the problem is ME has been one of the best selling series...... and most awarded series ever. So it is certainly not a sales drop off... quite the opposite.

Besides their other buys was a win too..... with origin releasing such a high quality products, why would anyone want to play half-assed EA roleplaying hybrid games? Or with something like ultima online who would want to play the sims medieval ? They successfully eliminated the competition.......

Alrik Fassbauer · May 10, 2011

GothicGothicness said:
Well, the problem is ME has been one of the best selling series…… and most awarded series ever. So it is certainly not a sales drop off… quite the opposite.

I believe they're rather being awarded fopr the setting - not for the mechanics.

But - like in the case of Dragon Age 2, I fear that they might believe that they've been awarded for the mechanics, not for the setting.

Benedict · May 10, 2011

DoctorNarrative said:
Bioware already made KoTOR, Jade Empire and Mass Effect by the time they were purchased by EA. While I am not arguing against the idea that EA has had a negative effect on them I don't think they are taking them in a direction Bioware were not already interested in moving toward.

Agreed. It's about the story, they're pushing the interactive movie approach more than anything else.

Couchpotato · May 10, 2011

Benedict said:
Agreed. It's about the story, they're pushing the interactive movie approach more than anything else.

Nothing wrong in that but I dont pay $60 for an interactive movie. Bioware should stop calling them rpgs from on.

BioWare - The Cracks Are Starting To Appear

SasqWatch

Sentinel

Filthy Codex Spy

Otinanist

Sentinel

SasqWatch

Dalek SasqWatch

Little BRO Rat

Keeper of the Watch

Keeper of the Watch

On The Razorblade of Life

Patroling Written Words

SasqWatch

Dark Sun

Otinanist

Okay, now roll sanity.

SasqWatch

TL;DR

SasqWatch

Part-Time News-bot