Anthem lead producer Mike Gamble has responded to several users on Twitter expressing concern over the likelihood of a BioWare closure. Over the past few years, EA has closed Visceral Games, the studio behind Dead Space, and BioWare Montreal, who worked on Mass Effect: Andromeda. Fan speculation has grown since the release of Anthem, a game which may reportedly determine the fate of the studio.
In a series of Twitter exchanges, Gamble replied calmly to a number of pessimistic BioWare fans:
don’t sweat this guys. seriously.
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) February 27, 2019
Lots of folks are playing Anthem, and we’ve announced our live service plans. Don’t worry about that, we are getting great support.
— Michael Gamble (@GambleMike) February 25, 2019
Following Gamble’s tweets, BioWare general manager Casey Hudson provided a longer statement about their recent experiences. “Game development can be a harsh and emotional experience at times, but the support of so many amazing people in the developer and player communities is a powerful antidote. You inspire us to keep going! And we will.” To which Gamble responded, “You bet we will.”
Despite these comments, fan speculation surrounding a future BioWare closure is likely to remain rife as each day seems to bring new concerns about Anthem. Over the weekend, Anthem players became annoyed at the apparent nerfing of loot drops in the game. The changes caused mass confusion leading to the developer confirming the nerf only occurred after they accidentally buffed the loot drop rates. Several bugs like this appeared in the game’s VIP beta which BioWare was also forced to defend after it came in for criticism for its poor online performance.
BioWare has appeared positive publicly and some have looked to defend the game against its criticisms. A set of former developers explained that bugs were a part of the process in large online games and they are “impossible” to plan for before a game is released. Xbox VP Mike Ybarra also weighed in regarding criticism of the game emerging before the game’s final launch date.
Fans of BioWare recently received reassurances from Casey Hudson and Anthem executive producer Mark Darrah regarding the future of the Mass Effect series. The pair stated they are “definitely not done with Mass Effect.” While the future of the development studio remains unknown, if you are looking for a BioWare nostalgia trip, we compiled a list of their best games.
