Electronic Arts’ Frank Gibeau has made it clear that the publisher does not want to interfere with the creative work of BioWare, claiming that the publisher will back whatever the developer decides to do next.
It’s no secret that the Mass Effect franchise is a huge moneymaker for Electronic Arts, so one would think that they would “encourage” BioWare to continue to build upon that series, but Gibeau recently told Kotaku that should the team wish to make a new IP, they’ll have the publisher’s full support.
If [executive producer Casey Hudson] decides on a story that he wants to tell, guess what? He’s going to be able to step forward at EA and we’re going to back him with capital for him to be able to go build that experience and tell a new story in the Mass Effect universe if that’s what he wants to do.
If he wants to do something different, a new IP, he’ll have our backing as well. He’s a profoundly talented guy. He’s got our confidence. And the audience loves him. So that’s how it really works.
Gibeau went on to emphasize that EA remains as hands-off as possible in the development process, allowing the development studios to create the games that they’ve set out to make. “The truth is BioWare has developed as BioWare and that creative culture is owned by them,” he said. “There’s nobody in the central planning committee at Electronic Arts that rolls in the tank divisions [into our studios] when they get too independent or too risky or too thoughtful.”
