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Worlds Untold Will Focus On “Fresh Worlds,” Says Former Mass Effect Writer

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Worlds Untold is the newest remote-focused game dev spearheaded by Mass Effect writer Mac Walters after leaving BioWare after 19 years.

The Vancouver-based developer is poised to focus on creating “fresh worlds” and characters “without limitations.” Speaking with Eurogamer, Walters’ studio is founded on the idea of “incredible IPs” and “endless possibilities for storytelling.” Generally, it sounds like the first thing considered is the world and then characters before finally moving onto the story and gameplay.

Meanwhile, funding was secured largely thanks to Chinese gaming giant NetEase that saw potential in Walters’ venture.

At this time, we know very little about the debut game of Worlds Untold, other than that it is a “near-future action adventure” featuring a “breathtaking world filled with mystery and exploration.”

What do you think? Are you excited to see what this new dev has in store? Let us know below!

Dragon Age: DreadWolf May Launch In 2024

BioWare’s long-anticipated return to the Dragon Age series, Dragon Age: DreadWolf, could be releasing as early as next year. We wouldn’t hold your breath as it’s already been edited.

As spotted by insider Timur222, Senior Cinematic Animator Kevin Scott let it slip on his LinkedIn that the game was coming next year. Of course, it’s been edited by the time PSX Extreme checked, but the insider is generally credible, and with DreadWolf having started being in the public’s consciousness over five years ago, it isn’t too hard to expect it’s on the cusp of release.

On the official end, though, neither BioWare or EA have said a peep about the game’s future or when it will be released.

What do you think? Are you excited about Dragon Age: DreadWolf? Let us know below!

Mass Effect 4 Is “Nowhere Near Coming Out”

Mass Effect 4

Three years ago, during an N7 Day event, BioWare announced that it’s working on the next installment of numbered entries to Mass Effect, Mass Effect 4. In that same announcement, the Canadian dev also revealed the Mass Effect: Legacy Edition, which brought previous entries of the space-faring series onto the previous-gen.

Credible insider Jeff Grubb, who was also the source behind other confirmed Mass Effect rumors, claims that the game is “nowhere near coming out.” In fact, as it’s proposed, the dev is following similar trends of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf, which was announced in 2018 and slated for release next year, we’re looking at Mass Effect 4 coming out either in 2028 or 2029.

This isn’t that shocking, as BioWare did confirm the game’s still in pre-production as recently as August, per the company blog. Odds are, the dev — and EA — don’t want another community stinker on its hands like Mass Effect: Andromeda, which divided its community a lot post-launch.

What do you think? Are you going to be diligently waiting for more news? Let us know below!

Anthem Was Forced Out After Only 15 Months In Development

Anthem

In 2019, BioWare released Anthem, a game poised to be another stellar sci-fi game under the studio’s belt. Well, it didn’t go according to plan and received middling reception and poor customer reviews. Turns out, it may have something to do with its short development time.

Ian Saterdalen took to Twitter to reveal that most developers behind the game knew it wasn’t ready, but the higher-ups wanted it out the door, even if that meant releasing an unfinished game after only 15 months of development time. Supposedly, they were subjected to 90-hour work weeks, and that led to at least Saterdalen needing therapy afterwards.

Even so, if it was properly worked on with reasonable deadlines and its scope in check, it could’ve been a great game, and he feels like it was a mistake shelving Anthem before its NEXT update was released. He does encourage people to spread positivity and not bring hate, something we can get behind — shouting at BioWare and EA will not make either company change its mind.

Ex-BioWare Veteran Returns To Consult For Dragon Age: Dreadwolf

Ex-BioWare veteran

Ex-BioWare veteran, Mark Darrah, is well-known in the BioWare community, having worked for the company for over two decades before leaving alongside Casey Hudson. As of now, though, it seems he has returned to join the Dragon Age Dreadwolf team as a consultant.

GamesBeat broke the news with a statement from BioWare declaring their dedication to developing Dreadwolf further. Meanwhile, the small core Mass Effect team works on the pre-production phase of the next spacefaring adventure.

Darrah’s role in all this is mostly to ensure Dragon Age: Dreadwolf strikes a balance between offering up a new, modern experience while respecting and understanding the monolithic legacy the previous entries left behind. BioWare General Manager Gary McKay appears to be excited about this ex-BioWare veteran returning, even if it’s only for a consultant position.

Full Statement On The Ex-BioWare Veteran Returning

“Our studio is focused on creating the best Dragon Age: Dreadwolf while the core Mass Effect team continues their pre-production work. We continue to iterate and polish Dreadwolf, focusing on the things that matter most to our fans. As we further connect this new experience with the series’ legacy Mark Darrah will join the team as a consultant, bringing with him years of experience working on Dragon Age. We’re proud to have this team, with strong leadership at the helm, working together to realize the vision we have for the game.”

Mass Effect Writer Leaves BioWare After 19 Years

BioWare

BioWare veteran Mac Walters took the new year as an opportunity to leave his current employer for greener pastures. He has been working for the Mass Effect dev for 19 years.

He held a rather large role in the company. Per Eurogamer, he originally started as a Jade Empire writer before moving onto a senior role when BioWare started work on Mass Effect. He then ended up as the game’s next two entries’ lead writer.

He wasn’t just shackled to writing, though, as he worked as the project director of Mass Effect Legendary Edition and before his departure was branded the production director of Dragon Age: Dreadwolf.

It wasn’t sunshine and rainbows in his nearly two decades at the company, he did have some bumps in his career, like overseeing Mass Effect: Andromeda, which was pretty divisive amongst the community.  He was also, for a time, involved in the remarkably average multiplayer RPG, Anthem, which was a disastrous failure for Electronic Arts.

According to Walters’ LinkedIn, he seems to be taking a breather and will likely return to the gaming sphere in a few months. He thanked all of his co-workers, calling his time at BioWare a “life-changing experience.”

Full Statement On Leaving BioWare

With a new year comes new adventures.

As some of you already know, at the end of last year I decided to leave BioWare. These past 19 years have been a life-changing experience to say the least, and it made the choice to go very difficult. I’ve worked with so many wonderful people and had the privilege to be a part of the most amazing teams and projects. It’s hard to fathom it all, and I know I’ll be reflecting on it for years to come.

Thank you to everyone I’ve had the joy of working with, and I wish everyone at BioWare the very best in everything you do. It’s truly been a pleasure.