By The principal writer of the initial three Dragon Age titles, and the individual frequently recognized as the originator of its fantastical universe, has reflected on how BioWare‘s autonomy gradually diminished under EA’s ownership.
David Gaider had a notable journey at the legendary BioWare for 17 years, commencing with writing for Baldur’s Gate 2 before becoming a central figure behind Dragon Age. Now leading his own independent group, Summerfall Studios, the distinguished writer reminisced about the RPG developer’s past in a discussion with GamesRadar+.
“It’s incredibly challenging to discuss the years that preceded my exit,” he shared. “At its pinnacle, it was a triumph to be part of that place.” He reflects on what the studio was like in the late ’90s, during its production of Baldur’s Gate 2. “It was D&D, I was invigorated. They used to call me the machine because I composed so rapidly. Honestly, I believe I wrote half of BG 2 myself.”
While he labeled the studio’s prime years as “magnificent,” he’s conscious that not everything was entirely flawless when BioWare was still self-governing. There was a common crunch culture at the corporation, but Gaider recalls it seemed like “just part of the job; I didn’t consider it realistic to challenge it. You worked until completion, and that was simply how it functioned.”
Despite the immense pressures, Gaider expresses, “it genuinely felt like we were creating RPGs [because] that was what we were passionate about, and we aimed to make them the best they could possibly be.” In a rare industry perspective, “BioWare’s writing, our narrative team, was deemed crucial to BioWare’s achievements.” According to him, the studio felt like a haven where he could craft meaningful stories, motivated by a passion for the game.
Things gradually began to transform following EA’s acquisition of the studio. Gaider got the impression that co-founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka intended to reform the publisher from the inside – “It was like the snake eating the elephant.” At that point, BioWare aspired to develop “prestige games” and aim for elevated Metacritic scores “that would lead to profits, not the reverse.” For a while, EA leadership backed that ambition.
Nevertheless, shifts in EA leadership brought about a situation where “all of a sudden, everything was altered.” Zeschuk and Muzyka departed shortly thereafter. Gaider’s “feeling” was that the duo recognized their goal of transforming EA from within was no longer achievable. “And then the changes started to occur more swiftly.”
“BioWare had a certain degree of autonomy under EA,” he remembers. “My impression was that every time BioWare needed to request something from EA, like a schedule extension… they had to concede something.” He even cites an email where BioWare cheerfully announced that the team would no longer receive two free weeks off at Christmas to be more aligned with EA’s policies. “But I suspect they did that [because] they had requested something like an extension.”
“I believe that’s how it transpired,” Gaider adds. “Thus, gradually, by small degrees, yes, BioWare sort of relinquished more and more of its independence until we reached the point we are at now. I mean, I can’t truly comment on what transpired after 2016, but I think it’s fairly evident. I mean, Jason Schreier penned a notable article on what unfolded with Anthem, and that’s quite critical. And you can clearly observe what has emerged from the company since, honestly, which is unfortunate because it was… during my time there, at its peak, it felt magnificent.”
“I sensed that I was at work. I was enjoying myself… even though it was often challenging, I would rise from bed and