BioWare Archives

AppWizard

June 1, 2026

A Baldur’s Gate 2 remake is apparently in development, with the original co-lead designer returning

Wizards of the Coast is planning a revival of classic titles, specifically focusing on remakes of Baldur's Gate and Baldur's Gate 2. Kevin Martens, a former BioWare developer known for his work on Baldur's Gate 2, is involved with Archetype Entertainment, a subsidiary of Wizards of the Coast. Fans are hoping for gameplay that combines nostalgia with modern mechanics, including real-time-with-pause battles and an optional turn-based mode. Hasbro, Wizards of the Coast's parent company, has faced challenges in leveraging the success of Baldur's Gate 3 and has canceled a Dungeons & Dragons game while leaving Warlock as the only remaining project outside the traditional Baldur's Gate experience.

AppWizard

May 21, 2026

A trio of former BioWare devs are making ‘a neon-noir supernatural mystery game set in a stylized Canadian cityscape’

A trio of former BioWare developers, Kaelin Lavallée, Kris Schoneberg, and Francis Lacuna, has founded Studio Reset. The studio's debut project is a neon-noir supernatural mystery game set in a stylized Canadian cityscape. The founders aim for a "smaller, more intentional" approach to game development, focusing on original ideas and sustainable practices. They hope to explore unconventional Canadian locales for their narrative. Details about the project's release timeline are currently undisclosed, but updates will be shared in the coming months, with more information available on their website, studioreset.io.

AppWizard

May 16, 2026

Star Wars: The Old Republic’s original director hadn’t played a single MMO before launching its development studio: ‘How the hell did they trust me with this much money?’

James Ohlen, a veteran of BioWare, oversaw the development of the MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is currently managed by Broadsword. He had never played an MMO before taking on the project. Ohlen expressed regrets about the game's initial launch, which included 200 hours of content across eight origin stories, suggesting a more focused experience of around 60 hours would have improved quality. He noted that the vast amount of content led to a decline in quality, stating that creativity was compromised. Ohlen proposed a relaunch of the game as Star Wars: The New Republic, which was supported by EA executive Patrick Söderlund but ultimately rejected by EA's board due to concerns over the initial costly launch. By 2019, The Old Republic had generated nearly billion in revenue. In 2019, Ohlen co-founded Archetype Entertainment, but he left the studio in December 2025 for personal health reasons.

AppWizard

May 5, 2026

Surprise: The studio making Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic is full of former BioWare devs

LucasFilm Games announced a new title, Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, at The Game Awards 2025, described as a "spiritual successor" to the Knights of the Old Republic series. Casey Hudson, former project director of KotOR and Mass Effect, is the CEO and game director at Arcanaut Studios, which he co-founded after leaving BioWare. The development team includes former BioWare employees, such as Chris Bain, the CFO, and Ryan Hoyle, the CTO. The studio's team also features talent from companies like Microsoft, Epic, Remedy, The Coalition, and ZeniMax. The game's artistic direction includes sci-fi visuals that align with the Old Republic aesthetic. Fate of the Old Republic will introduce new characters and a fresh storyline, not serving as a direct sequel to previous games. Arcanaut Studios was established in 2025.

AppWizard

April 25, 2026

Mass Effect devs have been practically radio silent for over 5 years because there’s ‘not a lot of time for tease’

The next installment in the Mass Effect series, referred to as "Mass Effect 5," was announced during The Game Awards in 2020, but updates have been limited over the past five years. Project director Mike Gamble confirmed that BioWare is currently focused exclusively on the game, despite concerns following EA's downsizing of the developer. He noted that the team is busy working on the project, which has resulted in a lack of teasers for fans. N7 Day on November 7 and The Game Awards 2026 on December 10 are potential opportunities for BioWare to share updates. Some fans express concern about the franchise's future and suggest that BioWare may need to explore new creative directions to regain its former success.

AppWizard

April 18, 2026

After the death of Dragon Age, it’s a megaton bummer to go back and hear BioWare’s founders talk about the series’ bright future

PCG has rediscovered a hands-on preview of Dragon Age: Origins by Evan Lahti, along with an interview from 2009 with BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. At that time, the studio was thriving, with both founders expressing optimism about the franchise's future and hinting at sequels. Muzyka noted that Dragon Age would be a franchise with a continuum of experiences, referencing a save transfer feature inspired by Mass Effect. Lahti recalls the excitement of covering the studio shortly after its acquisition by EA. Muzyka defended the artistic integrity of their games against media scrutiny, while Zeschuk commented on controversies surrounding early Mass Effect titles. The interview originally appeared in PC Gamer #198 (UK, March 2009).

AppWizard

April 5, 2026

Star Wars Zero Company writer wants its cast to have real friction: ‘It’s not a personal fantasy game’

Star Wars Zero Company, directed by Aaron Contreras, aims to create a distinct narrative identity, departing from common RPG tropes. The game combines strategic gameplay similar to XCOM with storytelling elements reminiscent of Mass Effect. A feature detailing the development process and narrative vision is available, showcasing insights from Contreras and the Bit Reactor team. An explainer provides essential details about the game's features and narrative direction, indicating that it seeks to redefine the RPG landscape with a focus on challenge and emotional depth.

AppWizard

April 5, 2026

In 2007, two game music GOATs collaborated on the criminally underrated soundtrack to a similarly underrated D&D RPG

Critical Hit, formerly Soundtrack Sunday, explores video game music and audio design, highlighting titles like Neverwinter Nights, which has a dedicated fanbase. The first expansion of Neverwinter Nights 2, Mask of the Betrayer, is noted for its mature narrative and impactful music, which plays a significant role in the game's atmosphere. Brandon, the audio director at Obsidian during the late 2000s, discussed the development of Mask of the Betrayer and its soundtrack, which he collaborated on with Womb Music's Rik Schaffer and Margaret Tang. The main theme of Mask of the Betrayer is described as mysterious and epic, with a darker reinterpretation for the DLC. The theme for Mulsantir captures the city's duality, blending inviting and sinister elements. Brandon aimed to encapsulate the medieval sound of Dungeons & Dragons, resulting in a soundtrack that enhances gameplay and leaves a lasting impression on players.

AppWizard

April 3, 2026

“Gabe really had a great vision”: Steam became a PC gaming cornerstone because Valve built a community with “stickiness,” says Nightdive chief who worked on GameStop’s Steam competitor

GameStop was a pioneer in digital distribution before Valve's Steam became the leading platform for PC gaming. Larry Kuperman, a veteran of the gaming industry, contributed to the development of Impulse, an online store acquired by GameStop. In the 2000s, third-party digital distribution was not intuitive, as game sales were primarily controlled by physical retailers. BioWare regretted not creating a platform like Steam. Amazon's attempts to compete with Steam were unsuccessful. Kuperman attributes Steam's success to its community-building efforts, which fostered loyalty among users. The platform significantly lowered barriers for game developers, allowing anyone to publish games for a nominal fee. Steam has been crucial for indie developers, providing extensive reach and discoverability compared to other platforms like GOG. Kuperman credits GOG as essential for his work at Nightdive, and Gabe Newell's ideas continued to shape Valve after he stepped back from active development.

AppWizard

March 25, 2026

The companions in Owlcat’s new Mass Effect-inspired RPG stand ready to have heart-to-heart chats, drag you into their sidequests, and blow a lot of stuff up

Owlcat Games has gained recognition in modern isometric RPGs with titles like Pathfinder: Kingmaker and Warhammer 40,000: Rogue Trader. The studio is now developing a third-person shooter RPG titled The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, marking a shift from its traditional isometric games. This new project aims to blend cinematic sci-fi adventure elements with RPG storytelling, challenging the studio to maintain narrative depth while adopting a more dynamic gameplay style.