- BioWare cinematic supervisor Tony de Waal says the now-canceled Mass Effect 5 offered "a level of autonomy and choice that no other game has been able to match"
- The developer says BioWare "saw what Larian and CD Projekt were bringing to the table" with Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077 and "started down a path to bring Mass Effect to the next level"
- De Waal also recounts his experience working on Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which he called "a herculean effort"
A BioWare developer working on Mass Effect 5 has revealed new details about the now-canceled project, which was seemingly inspired by systems from Baldur's Gate 3 and Cyberpunk 2077.
Following the announcement that EA is shutting down BioWare and canceling the next Mass Effect game, former BioWare cinematic supervisor Tony de Waal has spoken up about the plans for the title, revealing that he was among the remaining "50-ish" people at the studio who were laid off, suggesting Mass Effect 5 had a very small production team.
"I was one of the lucky ones who stayed with BioWare to start on the next Mass Effect, where I believe we were making something special: a level of autonomy and choice that no other game has been able to match," De Waal said on LinkedIn (via PC Gamer).
"We saw what Larian and CD Projekt were bringing to the table with their latest offerings, and started down a path to bring Mass Effect to the next level while remaining true to the Trilogy."
De Waal started his career at BioWare "29+ years ago," left after Mass Effect 2's release, but returned in 2021 to "help get what would become Dragon Age: The Veilguard back on track and out the door."
The developer shared some challenges the team encountered along the way with the final Dragon Age entry, saying it was "a herculean effort that tested the limits of even my workaholic mindset" but is "proud of the level of polish we were able to pull off in the Frostbite engine."
"Seriously, you have no idea the craziness going on under the hood of that game to make a variable player character work across 3+ hours of cinematics, and the number of conditions to account for in the scenes towards the end of the game," he added.
Speaking more on Mass Effect 5, De Waal said he's "sad" fans "won't get to see what we were cooking" and "sad for the small, talented group of devs who were all punching above their weight to make something special."
Parent company EA announced major restructuring plans across its studios and in development projects. 400 people have been laid off, including roughly 50 roles at BioWare (via Bloomberg). Now De Waal is one of many out of work.
"Please consider those who stayed with BioWare until the very end. They are truly some of the most talented people I've had the pleasure of working with throughout my career," De Waal added.
"With that, if you need someone who knows cinematic production, blending gameplay with cinematics, the tools, the tech, and has the know-how to realize complicated narratives — a true production expert with nearly three decades of experience who isn't afraid to roll up their sleeves and create content — please think of me. I'm once again looking for the next studio and project where I can use the breadth of my skills to make a difference."