The Fate of Mass Effect Andromeda Hasn’t Changed Anything
Straight from the 1099 podcast, Dragon Age series creative director Mike Laidlaw was asked about plans for the next installment. After the controversy behind Mass Effect Andromeda’s animations (which has since been fixed), fans are actually contemplating the state of the game and studio. But Laidlaw assured fans that development for the fantasy franchise hasn’t been affected at all. On the contrary.
Many of you already know this, but for those who don’t know, the BioWare team currently working on the Dragon Age franchise is comprised of original creators. They have practically nothing to do with the team behind Mass Effect Andromeda; these are two independent projects. Therefore, one hasn’t influenced/affected the other. Development on other games is ongoing.
As for what Laidlaw had to say in the podcast, here it is:
“Something is happening with Dragon Age… As I’ve jokingly said, I am the creative director for the Dragon Age franchise and they haven’t fired me yet.”
Our last Dragon Age game, Inquisition, came out in 2014. With a few years of development behind them, we must believe BioWare has something they can show us. However, Anthem is their next IP and releasing in 2018. Therefore, it’s likely the next Dragon Age will arrive a few years down the road. Since the team constantly strives to improve, it’s understandable they’d take their time.
Furthermore, the creative team at BioWare is currently recruiting designers. Since they’re always working on multiple games at once, it’s no surprise they need help. Hopefully, they obtain the help they need as soon as possible. According to Kotaku sources, the team at BioWare Montreal worked on Mass Effect Andromeda with an understaffed animation team. This undoubtedly factored into some of the poor animations we saw. So long as history doesn’t repeat itself, we should be excited for whatever game comes next.
Are you excited for the next installment of Dragon Age? Have you lost any faith in BioWare? Let us know in the comments below.