“BioWare’s Always Been Changing,” Says Former Producer, Who Agrees Anthem Was “Too Big of A Reach”

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Almost everyone predicted Anthem would fail, and they were right. BioWare, famous for its immersive, story-driven single-player RPGs, seemed like an odd fit for a constantly updated, loot-focused online shooter. It just wasn’t a good match for their strengths.

It’s no surprise that Mark Darrah, a former executive producer on the game, heard a lot of criticism when it first launched. He told Destin Legarie after the game servers went offline that many people suddenly started voicing their complaints. However, Darrah believes this kind of reaction was inevitable, as BioWare has a history of evolving and adapting its games.

I think BioWare has always evolved. If you apply that logic, we shouldn’t have created Neverwinter Nights since we were known for 2D RPGs. Similarly, we shouldn’t have made Mass Effect because we were a tactical RPG studio, not one focused on action RPGs. I don’t really think that criticism is valid.

Honestly, looking back, it seems crazy that BioWare even got the chance to make Baldur’s Gate! Their previous game, Shattered Steel, was… well, let’s just say it wasn’t a role-playing masterpiece. So, it’s hard to imagine them tackling a complex Dungeons & Dragons game after that!

That strategy doesn’t always work out, though. “Game studios change and experiment, and it’s hard to predict what will succeed. Was Anthem too ambitious? Probably. But it wasn’t clear at the time whether it would be, or not,” Darrah explained.

He also pointed out that while Electronic Arts definitely shares responsibility for the failure of Anthem, they aren’t solely to blame. Reports suggested the game was rushed to release about a year before it actually launched, and many on the development team didn’t even know the game’s title – Anthem – until they saw the reveal trailer. Apparently, the game wouldn’t have included flying at all if not for the leadership of former CEO Patrick Söderlund.

Okay, so BioWare just released Dragon Age: The Veilguard, and honestly, it didn’t quite live up to expectations. But the good news is they’re now fully focused on the next Mass Effect! They’ve admitted working on just one project at a time has been tough, but they actually think it’s the best way forward. We haven’t seen any actual gameplay yet, but they’ve been slowly dropping hints and teasers for years, and the latest artwork showing a Krogan Civil War looks amazing. I’m really getting excited!

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2026-01-18 20:11