BioWare Working on Another IP Besides Dragon Age, Mass Effect Could Be a Godsend

There was once a time when it seemed like BioWare could do no wrong. The legendary studio behind Mass Effect, Dragon Age, Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur’s Gate has stumbled a bit in the modern age, though, with Mass Effect Andromeda failing both critically and commercially, and Anthem being one of the earliest examples of a live-service disaster, severely maiming public trust in BioWare.

But the developer could turn things around in the near future. BioWare’s two most highly anticipated projects, Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, appear to be, at the very least, a return to the studio’s single-player RPG roots. BioWare’s commitment to these franchises suggests that it is leaning into its strengths instead of chasing a trend like it did with Anthem. Moreover, both BioWare and EA are likely hoping to avoid further blows to their reputation, so perhaps some lessons will be learned from BioWare’s post-ME3 failures. At the same time, fresh IP is the lifeblood of major developers, serving as opportunities to innovate and experiment beyond the comfort of well-established franchises. BioWare should take note of this.

Non-Mass Effect, Non-Dragon Age Projects Would Be Good for BioWare

BioWare Shouldn’t Be Stuck with Only Its Best-Selling Franchises

A recent BioWare job listing has led some to believe that the studio could be working on a third project, something that isn’t related to Mass Effect or Dragon Age. Naturally, general gaming fans are going to be most excited about the next chapters of those two franchises, but in the long-term, BioWare could certainly benefit from branching out. In fact, this may be necessary for the company’s creative success.

It’s important to note that the aforementioned job listing isn’t hard evidence of a yet-to-be-announced third game in development by BioWare, just a hint at the possibility of something beyond what has already been publicized.

Hopefully, Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age: Dreadwolf will be great games, but they will still just be continuations of their respective franchises. If BioWare maintains a tight grip on these series and doesn’t work on anything new, then it runs the risk of stagnation or type-casting, keeping it from stretching its legs with new stories, approaches to gameplay, and genre conventions. Keep in mind, neither Mass Effect nor Dragon Age would have been made if BioWare never ventured beyond its successful Star Wars RPGs. For these now-iconic franchises to be born, creative and financial risks had to be taken. BioWare ought to repeat history in this regard, if it ever hopes to step out of the looming shadow of its biggest franchises.

BioWare Needs To Be Careful with Its (Potential) New IP

The last new BioWare IP was the ill-fated Anthem, which failed both as a BioWare game and as a live-service experience. This historic fumble should be treated as a learning lesson by the famous gaming company, encouraging those making the biggest development decisions to treat new IP carefully. Basically, BioWare can’t afford to launch another Anthem, which may cause the studio to be a bit more bearish with future titles.

BioWare should be cautious, yes, but not too conservative. The studio should feel confident enough to throw its weight behind new, experimental ventures that play to its strengths, but it should also be aware that players are approaching its releases with trepidation. The days of BioWare’s superiority in the RPG genre have passed, but the studio may be able to reclaim some of its former glory, not just with strong Dragon Age and Mass Effect sequels, but with bold new IP as well, proving that it still has the chops to be dominant and innovative in the world of modern gaming.