EA “Very, Very Confident” in BioWare’s Games Roadmap; Feels “Very, Very, Very Good” About Its Leadership

[Son of Sparda]

Via Twinfinite:

Today, during Electronic Arts' quarterly conference call for investors and analysts, chief executive officer Andrew Wilson talked about BioWare.

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"On BioWare, that is an incredible studio filled with incredible people who do incredible work. I think that from the outside world, there have been some blips in their delivery in the last couple of years, but that's the result of them pushing deeply into innovation and creativity, and we feel "very, very confident" about their future roadmap. We talked about games like Dragon Age and Mass Effect in their future.

With respect to Casey and Mark leaving, again, both good friends of mine, we have tremendous respect for both of them, but this happens in the natural course of creative organizations from time to time, and we feel very very very good about the ongoing leadership of that studio and the main people who come to work every day to deliver more innovation and creativity.

We'll have more to share about what's coming from BioWare in the near future. "

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Lock if old.

If DA4 is indeed on track to meet its schedule release, I wonder if we'll finally see some actual gameplay from it this year. Ever since Casey and Mark left, I've been a bit worried that it might've been over creative disagreements and that might lead to delays in DA4's development, but according to Andrew Wilson everything is going according to schedule.

 

[Dest]

Alright EA you've earned me trust over the last decade or so so I'm sure you're not lyin' to me or nothin'. I'll take your word for it.

 

[astro]

5x very.

I'm on board!

 

[Anton Sugar]

How very, very, very, very confident they sound.

 

[Rygar 8Bit]

Very, very, VERY good? Or just very, very, very good? Also can you separate your hands to show a distance of how good it will be?

 

[bobnowhere]

Control + F "Anthem'

O results

 

[Deleted member 10737]

i don't think anyone can be unconvinced when they use that many "very"s.

 

[Deleted member 17184]

I know they were looking for a new General Manager after Casey left. Did they find one already?

 

[Cels]

in the last 5 years, they've released ME andromeda and anthem. what has changed in the studio since then?

 

[ajido]

Sus.

 

[Kinthey]

That sounds like the opposite of confidence

 

[Lulu]

did they just give up an anthem ?

 

[hikarutilmitt]

I don't know if this is the Trump version of "very very" or the Commandant LAssard "very, very, VERY"...

 

[Moose]

did they just give up on anthem ?

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That would be the right move so they're probably still working on it.

 

[nihilence]

All those very sound sus.

Hopefully.

 

[TheXbox]

I think that from the outside world, there have been some blips in their delivery in the last couple of years, but that's the result of them pushing deeply into innovation and creativity

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I daresay those blips are not the result of Bioware's innovation and creativity.

 

[AnimaRize]

It's hard to take EA's words on anything

 

[BobLoblaw]

Lol! Folks are right. That's a lot of verys.

 

[Spring-Loaded]

"Ghee Whiz, where we going PapEA?"

 

[Zebesian-X]

I always regret never getting into Dragon Age but to be honest I dunno if I could handle the pain of getting let down by ME 4 AND DA 4... Hoping we get a nice comeback story though. Legendary collection will remind people why they love BioWare, now they just gotta follow through

 

[Bonefish]

innovation and creativity is definitely what sank Anthem

 

[JMY86]

What else is he going to say? I still love Bioware and think there is a lot of talent still there and I am waiting to see how the Mass Effect remaster and Dragon Age 4 turn out before I bury them...

 

[Livingskeletons]

I don't know if this is the Trump version of "very very" or the Commandant LAssard "very, very, VERY"...

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I was gonna say sounds like a Trump update.

 

[B-Dex]

I guess they hired the crypt keeper to drive the hearse to the EA devs graveyard.

 

[StrappingYoungLance]

Pretty standard substance-less CEO conference call spin.

 

[BossAttack]

😬😬😬😬

 

[wafflebrain]

Not like they're gonna say "We have zero faith in any of our teams, sell your shares!"

But sure, it'd be nice to see something solid from Bioware again.

 

[AWizardDidIt]

I mean like, what ever. But it doesn't sound like EA has given up hope on Bioware like doomposters continually say they will. And I'm sure posters here will be falling over each other to post "Papa EA" memes or "Bioware is Deaaaaaaad", but it's all just noise.

If anything, the Mass Effect remaster is going to be a test of Bioware being able to at least deliver an easy layup. I think it will be telling to their future developments.

 

[Comrade Grogu]

Not like they're gonna say "We have zero faith in any of our teams, sell your shares!"

But sure, it'd be nice to see something solid from Bioware again.

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I think we will.

 

[Pyro]

That does not sound like they're confident

 

[Freezasaurus]

They overdid it with the "very." Makes me think their boardroom looks more like

 

[MayorSquirtle]

For all the talk about how EA is just waiting for an opportunity to shutter Bioware, they've had two flops in a row and EA punished them a year ago with... Expensive new offices. EA clearly has faith in them for now.

 

[Aprikurt]

"We trust in our studios" the EA exec insisted, resting his boot gently on Bioware's tender neck. "When you've got good people, you don't worry".

He pinned the threatening note to Bioware's chest, promising he'd be back if Mass Effect 5 was shit

 

[Typhoon20]

Absolutely no reason to doubt them.

 

[Teeth]

I daresay those blips are not the result of Bioware's innovation and creativity.

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In corporate speak, "innovation and creativity" are euphemisms for not just churning out templated sequels, so "innovating" internally comes with big risks that sometimes don't pay off. Moving to entirely new game types is extremely risky, especially at this budget level.

Anthem was definitely something very new for the studio, even if it wasn't particularly new for the industry at the time (though, going by Schreier's article, it seems they were forbidden from looking at Destiny as a template anyway, so they were sort of forced into an internal type of "creativity").

Honestly, that corporate speak from Wilson fills me with the tiniest thimble of hope for Dragon Age 4. I've long said that Bioware should just focus down on a tried and true DA, go with what they know (character focused, team based combat, streamlined environments) and do something safe, but high quality.

 

[Shopolic]

I hope to see amazing projects from BioWare, but after Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem and then Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah's exit, I'm very very very skeptical about it.

 

[Sento]

I believe him

 

[DarthSontin]

EA: "We call Bioware 'Bob Dylan' now because he is an artist you want to have around forever"

 

[Sanctuary]

I think that from the outside world, there have been some blips in their delivery in the last couple of years, but that's the result of them pushing deeply into innovation and creativity

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🤣

I hope to see amazing projects from BioWare, but after Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem and then Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah's exit, I'm very very very skeptical about it.

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Same. How do you expect them to release anything remotely similar (or better) to their previous works when most of the key directors and writers have left? And what the hell was going on that caused Hudson to leave for the second time, and during a project?

Absolutely no reason to doubt them.

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Absolutely no reason to believe them either until they release their current projects years from now. Ever since they started shifting away from what they were good at, and instead started chasing trends, their output has been middling, to questionable.

 

[Chaos2Frozen]

You have my vote!

 

[Dan L]

So much very.

I'm super excited for the ME remasters. I'm still interested in what anthem becomes. I enjoyed parts of it a lot and can see a fun game inside it.

 

[Admiral Woofington]

well i wasn't sure, but they said not just very

but very very.

Now I trust.

 

[RayCharlizard]

EA: We like the stock studio!

 

[TheXbox]

In corporate speak, "innovation and creativity" are euphemisms for not just churning out templated sequels, so "innovating" internally comes with big risks that sometimes don't pay off. Moving to entirely new game types is extremely risky, especially at this budget level.

Anthem was definitely something very new for the studio, even if it wasn't particularly new for the industry at the time (though, going by Schreier's article, it seems they were forbidden from looking at Destiny as a template anyway, so they were sort of forced into an internal type of "creativity").

Honestly, that corporate speak from Wilson fills me with the tiniest thimble of hope for Dragon Age 4. I've long said that Bioware should just focus down on a tried and true DA, go with what they know (character focused, team based combat, streamlined environments) and do something safe, but high quality.

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I agree with your interpretation but taken another way, it sounds like a tacit admission that Bioware failed because they stepped out of their wheelhouse, and now the remedy is... more Dragon Age and Mass Effect.

And pretend Andromeda never happened.

 

[ShadowAUS]

They're uh... kinda laying it on super a little thick there which is never something that inspires trust, not to mention the insane amounts of (expected but bleh) corporate speak BS.
But fuck it, I love classic BioWare, so I'll believe because jeezus do I want a return to consitently good AAA WRPGs.

 

[fontguy]

but that's the result of them pushing deeply into innovation and creativity

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No.

 

[dragonflys545]

LOL sure...

 

[AIan]

That's kinda cringe.

 

[Mesoian]

Not shown: Andrew Wilson literally pulling his hair out by the root as he says these words.

Man I don't believe that for a second.

 

[Sanctuary]

I agree with your interpretation but taken another way, it sounds like a tacit admission that Bioware failed because they stepped out of their wheelhouse, and now the remedy is... more Dragon Age and Mass Effect.

And pretend Andromeda never happened.

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Considering literally no one else has been able to reproduce what they were doing in their prime years, that's not such a bad thing. It's not like the market is saturated with quality Bioware-like games. I can't think of any "Bioware fan" that actually asked for their games to be just like every other one out there either.