Earlier this month,BioWaregeneral manager Gary McKay discussed the current state of the company, specifically talking about how the pandemic, perhaps ironically, brought them all close together. He also talked about howBioWare wants to ensure its future releases are “seminal” momentsin the industry, and this is important because BioWare titles used to have these seminal moments. The release of the originalMass Effecttrilogy,Dragon Age,and several titles before likeKnights of the Old Republic, Baldur’s Gate, and more were just that: seminal moments.
It’s hard to imagine a “seminal” release and not imagine Bethesda, however. A seminal release is, by definition, a major release that hits high marks and fundamentally influences games after their release. Name any major release, and this is something fans can see—whether it’s the all-to-often comparisons ofopen-world games toBreath of the Wildor RPG games discussion in the context ofSkyrim.
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Seminal moments don’t have to be from big developers, nor do they have to be a major focus of a company. A good game is a good game, regardless of what it influences or not. The problem is that seminal releases are big and rare. This, itself, is somethingBioWarehas to tackle with a different context than a company like Bethesda. The two don’t fit in a box, of course, but as BioWare moves forward with these “seminal moments” in mind, the development distinction between companies like Bethesda and BioWare remain intact.
BioWare vs. Bethesda: ‘Seminal Moments’
Bethesda video game releases are often so rare and so far apart that it could do more harm than good—if it wasn’t for its more anthological approach.Games likeFalloutandThe Elder Scrollshave multiple sequels, but none of them are directly connected. They help build the world around them and the world itself moves forward in some ways, but it doesn’t matter what order someone playsFallout 3, Fallout 4, Morrowind, Oblivion, orSkyrim—it won’t impact the experience.
That comes with a big cost though.Skyrimis officially ten years old, andThe Elder Scrolls 6(despite being announced) is nowhere near release. Many believeThe Elder Scrolls 6is still in pre-production, and that means it could be the mid-2020s before it ever releases.Starfieldis a result of this long development cycle emphasizing seminal moments, because it is Bethesda’s first new IP in 25 years. The chances of “Starfield 2"happening are incredibly unlikely, no matter how well received the first game is, but another set in the same universe isn’t impossible—just years and years away. IfFallout 5somehow releases this decade, it’ll be a surprise.
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It’s a bit of a dual-edged sword, as fans yearn for these titles but end up waiting forever. That’s not too unlike what’s going on withMass Effect 4andDragon Age 4now, but there’s one extra hurdle for BioWare. These games are direct sequels, both of them. They are not isolated incidents. The events ofDragon Age 2are loosely connected toOrigins, sure, but they are connected.Inquisitionis strongly connected toDA2,andInquisitionends up on a cliffhanger withSolas’ identity revealthat fans have waited to pay off since 2014 (and isn’t likely to do so until 2023/2024.)
Mass Effect 4isn’t as bad, but all signs indicate that it is somehow picking up and connecting theevents of theMass Effect TrilogyandAndromeda. Still, it’s further away thanDragon Age 4in all likelihood, withME3releasing back in 2012 andAndromeda2017. All of this is to say that the years between games that are direct sequels makes the wait harder on fans than if they are unconnected likeSkyrimandTES6.
BioWare’s ‘Seminal Moments’ Shouldn’t Be Reminiscent of Bethesda
Now, this is not to say that BioWare should rush the development of these games. All fans know rushed games are never good, and many are content to wait onDragon Age 4’s release. This is not to say that BioWare should adapt Bethesda’s style of largely unconnected games. It’s just that seminal releases are important, and they are a worthwhile goal for any company. But, as BioWare attempts to rebuild its reputation, it should keep in mind that it has had seminal releases before.
It shouldn’t revert to themaligned BioWare Magic, of course, but what it had prior toAndromedaandAnthemis what fans want today. Seminal releases like the firstMass EffectandDragon Age, with no crunch, is possible and years between is to be expected, but that doesn’t mean its franchises likeFalloutshould fall off either. Hopefully, BioWare finds the happy medium between the company it used to be, the company it is now, and its approach to game development then vs. now.
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