"Another Mass Effect? Do I have it in me to do another?” - Former BioWare lead writer reflects on his last project with the studio
It's fair to say that the most defining work from developer BioWare is the Mass Effect series, which would become an influential RPG franchise. But in the years since the conclusion of the main trilogy, the sequel Andromeda, and the Legendary Edition, the studio has undergone several changes following many key creatives departing for new opportunities elsewhere.
As successful as Mass Effect has been, many of the key creatives who've worked on the series are content with the work they accomplished and have moved to new projects. Recently, former lead writer of the Mass Effect series Mac Walters had an interview with the MinnMax gaming podcast, where they talked about moving on from BioWare to found the new studio Worlds Untold. Along with reflecting on the series' success, they were also quite frank about knowing when it was time to step away from BioWare and Mass Effect.
In the interview, Walters talked about the lead-up to his decision to depart the studio, which happened not long after the release of the Legendary Edition, a faithful remaster of the original trilogy.
"[Mass Effect] Legendary Edition was released in spring 2021, and I left holiday 2022, so there was a long period where I was unwinding, unplugging, and feeling like, 'Hey, I think I'm kind of done with this,'" said the former BioWare writer and project lead. "It was a process for me, right? I'm sure it seemed more abrupt from the outside looking in, but I went through my own mental journey with that."
The former BioWare lead writer stated that he even felt like leaving the studio before the Legendary Edition began development, having second thoughts about doing "another Mass Effect."
During his time at BioWare, Mac Walters would become one of the key
