What has Bioware got left to offer?

[CAPTCHA]

It seems to me like Bioware may be coming to an end. Since becoming a part of EA they haven't been given the go ahead to produce a new IP and their older ones are reaching the end of their life spans.

Mass Effect - pretty much finished bar the long slow milking via DLC.
Star Wars - An fairly lack luster MMO soon to be forgotten.
Dragon Age - Their only real IP with room to expand, though DA has always been a beta project and kind of lacks a strong sense of identity, especially in todays over-saturated WRPG market.
C&C Generals: A very un-Bioware game.

So what do you think will happen next. Will they be let off the reins and allowed to develop a IP? Will they be dissolved into the EA money bin? Perhaps EA will hand them an existing IP to work on? Thoughts?

 

[Jarek Mace]

Exactly, they're going to die. EA are making sure of that.

 

[Pearwood]

Jade Empire. People have been trying to make them go back to that thing for years and they've never listened, perhaps now is the time. I dunno about Dragon Age not standing out though, I can't think of anything I'd really compare it to. Elder Scrolls maybe but I do think there's room for a few more Dragon Age games.

 

[Nimcha]

The Mass Effect universe isn't done yet, they've clearly stated multiple times they want to stage more games in that setting. Shepard's story may be done but I can see lots of possibilities for great games in that universe.

 

[tendaji]

If they are unable to develop new IPs or build upon existing IPs, EA will shut them down to save on expenses. It's the very model of business. So who knows what Bioware might be making next, because I'm sure they have quite a few ideas up their sleeves.

 

[Rawne1980]

Mass Effect will have more games whether fans want them or not. It's going to make money so they won't drop it.

Dragon Age, well we still have DA3 to come. You are right though, it doesn't fit in anywhere identity wise. DA:O and DA2 were completely different. I have no connection to the games because they keep changing the bloody characters and plot around.

Star Wars. I have very little to say about that game. I went through months of beta and they kept removing things. I spent 2 months in the game subbed and if you take away the voice acting it's the same old shit we've gone through in many other MMO's. They released it with features missing and bugs up the arsehole. The best argument people could drag up to defend it was "But WoW was worse on release and didn't have all the features it has now" .... well done, great argument. WoW was released in 2004, ToR in 2011 I expect more from a game released now than I did 8 years ago.

However it isn't doing all that badly and may keep bringing in money for a while yet. It's not doing great but it isn't exactly "failing".

Command and Conquer I couldn't possibly drag enough emotion up to give a shit about.

So we're left with ME which they will probably do a few more games from and Dragon Age which will, hopefully, one day decide what the fuck it wants to do.

That said I really do hope DA3 is decent.

Where they go next though I have no idea. The best bet would be an entirely new IP but they may not risk that. Depends how well DA3 sells I reckon.

Hmm, talking BioWare and Dragon Age 3 and captcha came up with Swan Song ... can captcha see the future ... dun dun DUUUUN.

 

[Kahunaburger]

Plenty of unintentional comedy.

 

[Fappy]

Plenty of unintentional comedy.

This is sadly true.

 

[DoPo]

They could always go and explore a new field...of completely bog standard setting. So far they ave proven decent at that. maybe next we'll see some historical fantasy (so classical fantasy without magic) or maybe why not a game where you play as an archeologist of some sort who goes around and explores ancient ruins and crypts.

 

[Lucem712]

EA shall puppet around the corpse for a bit as the major players leave. Their remaining easy-to-milk IPs shall be milked til they're dry. Then, EA will kill it off, settling the remaining members with another dev-team. After that, EA will sit on the IPs until the end of time.

 

[squid5580]

Hopefully a new stand alone IP that they can't fuck up by listening to us.

 

[craftomega]

Exactly, they're going to die. EA are making sure of that.

Going to die?

Mass effect series - dead

Dragon age series - dead (because DA2 was a such a piece of crap)

SW:tor - will be dead in under a year


Bioware has utterly lost its reputation people who are still buying there games are either blind fan boys, or people who dont care about the quility of video games.

 

[Dendio]

I like swtor. They put in way more work there than what blizz is doing with wow. I kill a beast, I get a codex with information about him. I have characters who follow me, level up with me and matter to the story. I get voice acting and massively superior graphics. SWtor just needs to get its end game pve/pvp straightened out ( and wow hasen't in 7 years).

Dragons age 2 left feeling very satisfied. I didnt like the repeated zones, but the story telling aspect of "growing up" in a city was pretty unique. The game had its flaws, but overall was still better than most of the drivel out there.

Mass effect 3 was great. it had amazing cameos and nostalgia everywhere. Those who havent played 1 and 2 will miss out. The ending was weird, but most of the game was a blast.

I hear rumors that jade empire? is getting a sequel..guess I should work on playing the first game to catch up.

About EA, i got a bad feeling about them right now. Alot of people are openly attacking them as a company. Thier stock looks to be falling, and they took a huge risk with swtor. I hope things turn around for them.

 

[ThriKreen]

As if game studios announce every game project that's still in its prototyping phase to the public.

ME was in development for at least 1-2 years before it was announced in Oct 2005.

 

[Antari]

Bioware will never be what it was because the people who made it what it was, are not there anymore. The company is now owned by EA. The founders left not long after. The remnants of origional bioware have been put on other projects, sometimes placed with entirely new divisions. Once EA buys a company, it is no longer that company, its now EA. And if you haven't had the misfortune to know what that means. Go waste your money on one of their games, you'll learn soon enough.

 

[endtherapture]

I'm staying optimistic for Dragon Age 3. Some of the artwork and ideas they've had so far have been okay.

I'm not going to pre-oder it or anything, that'd be stupid, but I'll follow it, and if it gets a positive reception I'll buy it.