The upcoming release of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition won't only breathe new life into one of gaming's most beloved science fiction franchises ever; it could be the start of a redemption arc for its developer, BioWare. The Electronic Arts-owned studio has fallen on hard times since the poor reception of science-fantasy RPG Anthem in 2019. BioWare has had a few projects in the works for quite some time since Anthem's troubled launch, most notably a new Dragon Age. However, many recent internal struggles have forced the studio to postpone and even reconceive those plans. The Mass Effect remasters could be BioWare's ticket to greener pastures.
The Mass Effect: Legendary Edition trilogy remaster was announced in November 2020 and is set to launch on May 14, 2021. The rerelease will consolidate the original games, including most of their DLC content, into one seamless experience. It will be built on Unreal Engine 3 and support 4K resolution, and it could be a return to form for BioWare after not being able to shake the black cloud Anthem put over its head.
Anthem's release was a clear signal that there was a serious disconnect between BioWare and its parent company, EA. Critics and players panned Anthem for poor performance, bland missions, and long loading screens. All of those hitches were further pronounced due to Anthem's striking similarity to Bungie's Destiny series, which has overshadowed BioWare's attempted to crack the looter-shooter genre. A product of unfortunate circumstances and last-minute corporate decisions, it was a fall from grace for a company that made a name for itself crafting some of the most intricate RPG experiences available, like Dragon Age and Baldur's Gate.
According to Kotaku, BioWare experienced some serious turmoil between 2016 and 2017, which kept Anthem from becoming fully realized. Internal teams couldn't settle on gameplay design, nine-year BioWare developer Corey Gaspur suddenly died, other employees quit, and various anonymous staffers stated the game was cobbled together a year before launch. It wasn't even supposed to be called Anthem, to begin with; BioWare settled on the name after EA told the studio securing a trademark for its original title, Beyond, would be too difficult.
Since Anthem's failure, BioWare has been in constant communication with fans. It has delivered multiple updates on its status of the upcoming Dragon Age release, and it has promised to continue improving Anthem for its pending relaunch. While a rerelease of the Mass Effect trilogy might not be something new, it could be a callback to BioWare's heyday and further confirmation the studio is still committed to delivering world-class RPGs, creating some much-needed good will for the company.
Mass Effect: Legendary Edition will come to PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One on May 14, 2021.
Source: Kotaku
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