BioWare’s influence is still everywhere even after the studio was shut down. EA closed it in late October during a broader restructuring that also canceled Mass Effect 5. Alumni projects like Exodus and Fate of the Old Republic are moving forward, and the same design approach shows up in The Witcher 3 and Baldur’s Gate 3. The studio became foundational interactive storytelling DNA rather than just a company that can be closed on paper.

Former BioWare lead Mark Darrah says Dragon Age: The Veilguard flopped because of years of development problems and EA’s push for yearly releases. Darrah says the game was constantly delayed, but never given enough breathing room: “The team always was quite close to its current release date.” Because of that, the devs never had enough time to properly step back, rethink the game and make major changes. “There was never a time when the project was way in the future.” “Annualization was what slayed the beast.”

Former BioWare producer Mark Darrah thinks the gaming industry should explore product placement to help pay for game development and rely less on live-service monetization. Discussing how expensive AAA games have become to make, Darrah said the industry needs more revenue streams besides selling games, DLC, microtransactions, and battle passes. “Not every game can be a live service,” he said, warning that if the trend continues, most big-budget games could end up built around ongoing monetization instead of delivering a complete experience from the start. Darrah noted that movies have multiple revenue streams, including product placements and brand deals. He believes video games could do something similar to cover development costs without constantly asking players to spend more after buying the game.

A former BioWare employee claims the studio was asked to remove a flag from a presentation for the canceled Mass Effect Universe project because it looked too much like the LGBTQIA+ flag. The employee said the new management wasn’t convinced by the project: “I think the video proposals we presented to the new management weren’t convincing.” They also said BioWare being known for inclusive storytelling “didn’t help to dispel the skepticism.” One specific example involved a flag in a presentation video. The team was asked to remove it because it was: “looking too much like the LGBTQIA+ flag” The reason given was reportedly: “not to offend.”

EA’s closure of BioWare and cancellation of the next Mass Effect has triggered a major backlash from fans. The SaveMassEffect petition has now reached 117,443 verified signatures, with fans asking EA to reconsider the decision and give the project a chance to continue. Some fans are also calling for an EA boycott