Mark Darra warns of potentially apocalyptic consequences if studios aren’t allowed to work undisturbed.
Electronic Arts’ recent $55 billion takeover by a consortium that includes the Saudi sovereign wealth fund, Affinity Partners and Silver Lake has sparked concern among fans of EA franchises — particularly those tied to BioWare. The main worry is that BioWare’s progressive themes may clash with the more conservative perspectives of the new owners.
Former Dragon Age series director Mark Darra, in a recent video, shared his thoughts on BioWare’s future and its narrative direction.
If this isn’t merely a financial transaction but also a PR initiative by the Saudi government, studios without an established reputation could be guided to produce “acceptable” messages — or at the very least pushed away from topics that cast them in a negative light.
With BioWare, however, which has a well-established reputation for progressive storytelling, the matter is more complex.
It’s difficult to imagine BioWare being forced to abandon its progressive ideals in favor of the opposite just because a government demands it — the public reaction to such a move would be devastating.
Darra argues that if the new owners want to avoid public backlash, they have three realistic choices: leave BioWare alone, attempt subtle adjustments to its output, or simply cut the studio loose.
Rumors circulated online that, after the weak financial showing of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, BioWare’s future was already fragile — making it unlikely that new management will bother to handle the studio delicately or go out of its way to avoid upsetting its staff.
Source: iXBT.games