Poll: Could you really give up on Bioware?

[OniaPL]

Well, I kind of did already. Bioware has not received a single penny from me since DA2.

Edit: Why do I have to describe brands I have never heard of? I mean, if you want to advertise something to me, at least make it something that isn't a company exclusive to USA.

 

[endtherapture]

I've got CDProjekt now, I don't need Bioware any more.

Suppose if DA3 is good (but ONLY if it's good) I'll pick up the Ultimate Edition, but aside from that, I won't be purchasing any more Bioware products.

Edit: Why do I have to describe brands I have never heard of? I mean, if you want to advertise something to me, at least make it something that isn't a company exclusive to USA.

I agree with this - the old captchas were better because we got to help translate and store old documents in computers - these new ones are making me look up companies I will never use cos I don't live in America.

 

[Amethyst Wind]

Well I like the Mass Effect series but I don't much care for their other works. Jade Empire was okay but Dragon Age is just annoying to play and Kingdom of Amalur doesn't interest me either.

Yeah, I could give up Bioware quite easily (I may get Sonic Chronicles at some point)

 

[Manji187]

Already have.

Mass Effect 2 was my last BioWare game. They may get their act together eventually, but that won't change the fact that I don't care about their stuff anymore. BioWare's writing is mediocre at best (and that's me being nice). Also, I don't feel like stepping into the (time)trap that is Origin.

So yeah, fuck em. Plenty of other (and more interesting) games out there.

 

[Lord_Jaroh]

If their competency in game developing and target demographic continues as they have, then yup, it would be easy to do.

I liked them when they made games for gamers rather than games for money...

 

[Agayek]

anc[is]Most definitely. Mass Effect as we know it is done, no matter how you feel about the ending. I would love to try TOR but I do not play games that get more expensive over time. DA2 was tripe, and unless DA3 does a complete 180 and go back to Origins, I won't be buying it. There is nothing else on the horizon for Bioware. I won't pretend I can see the future, but from here I'm done with them.

Pretty much this. Their last 3 major releases I have been eminently unhappy with, and all signs point to the trend continuing. Unless someone I know gets it and tells me it's amazing, I'm no longer buying any Bioware games.

 

[Teh Jammah]

I'm gonna see what they do with this 'extended edition'. If its exactly what they say it is then... I dunno if I'll give up on them for good, but I know I sure as hell won't be buying anything new from them. Might consider waiting for the price drop or buying pre-owned.

If it turns out that the press release for extended is just them trolling us and they give us something more satisfying than multi-colored explosions and space magic then... I dunno. We'll see.

They certainly don't have my brand loyalty anymore like they once did. Its gonna take a lot for them to earn that back.

 

[Saviordd1]

If they don't really fix the ending, yes, I'm done, I don't like being lied to.

 

[TheGreatAndPowerfulZOG]

Sure, we've got Bethesda, Obsidian, and CD Projekt all making better western RPGs already. Actually, to be honest, I can't give up on them, because I never had any faith in them in the first place.

 

[Flailing Escapist]

Hell yes, I haven't enjoyed 3 of their 4 last games.

 

[Phlakes]

I don't see the issue here. Last I checked every game Bioware has made since BG has been amazing, with possibly the exception of Dragon Age 2 which was still at least above average. But I suppose I must be one of those crazy people who doesn't drop every ounce of support over five minutes that I didn't like.

 

[Yearlongjester]

It's not a "can" or "will I", it's something I've already done. Bioware pissed me off with the ending sure, but the way they've handled this whole debacle has just been sad. I have no interest in doing business with them any longer.

 

[Jodah]

I didn't hate DA2 so I'll likely pick up DA3. That being said, I am going to be far more wary of any new IPs they come out with. I'm also much more likely to get a used copy of any of their games so that they don't get a penny directly from me.

 

[Sean951]

I only have Mass Effect 1 and 2 because they were on sale last summer, and I have no desire to beat ME2, so yes, I think I can.

Blizzard, Nintendo, and The Creative Assembly are the only gaming companies I'm still loyal too.

 

[MrLumber]

Where's the 'I did a while ago' option?

Frankly, while Bioware does ultimately make some decent games, but none of their stories outshine parallels from a variety of other mediums, and their gameplay is always subpar when compared to similar games. I stopped caring about Bioware after I completed Dragon Age and it said I was a woman, and then upon playing Mass Effect for 30 minutes.

 

[SciMal]

Anyway, that's me. How about you?

Of course I can. People who feel the need to stick with a company also need to realize the company doesn't care about you. The company cares about profits, and while any company may value its customers, it's never on a personal level after a certain size. BioWare doesn't have any need to be loyal to its long-standing fans unless it's profitable, so I don't have a need to be loyal to a long-standing company unless I enjoy their products.

Because I've been enjoying their products less and less, I don't really feel a need to pre-order or even purchase. To me, BioWare is uneven at best, and on the downhill slope of their writing skills at worst.

Neverwinter Nights? Okay.
Hordes of the Underdark? Awesome.
Dragon Age: Origins? Completely uninspired.
Dragon Age II? Better than DAO in some areas, much worse in others. Overall mediocre.
Mass Effect? Overall very good. The last few hours of ME1 show what BioWare is capable of.
Mass Effect 2? Combat is drastically improved, but the writing was spotty. Overall, good.
Mass Effect 3? Above-par game up until the end where the writing takes a long, runny shit.

Why would I be loyal to BioWare? Because over a decade ago they produced the Baldur's Gate series? Yeah, Baldur's Gate II is probably the best RPG ever made that I've played. Nothing has matched it in terms of depth and sheer quantity/quality ratio. You know what else? Nobody is going to try to match it, either. Even BioWare has said they're never going to reach for something better because a game BGII's size would be too costly. So obviously I can't wait around for a return to my childhood nostalgia.

I played Mass Effect because there's a dearth of good sci-fi games/movies in modern culture. It was very good, up until the end. I played DA:O because I wanted to see what BioWare's version of fantasy (which means they can make up anything they want) looked like, and found that the DA:O team had the creative capacity of corn. I played DA2 because I liked the art style much more than the supreme blandness of the original and the combat was better to me.

The Half-Life series is the only property I anxiously await news on. Valve could "pull a BioWare" as well, but I don't see that happening as they have as much time as they want.