https://cul-chicago.org/biowares-new-general-manager-promises-to-rebuild-its-reputation/

I usually don't pay much attention to AAA industry news these days, let alone make threads about it, but something about BioWare's complete and utter fall into disrepute amuses me endlessly. I'm not sure why. It's just some sort of morbid, dark humor. Although I guess BioWare is not the only one. Blizzard is in that same category, probably others too. Studios that don't really have anything in common with their legendary past but keep promising the moon. It's over. It's dead. Stop wearing a suit made out of its carcass, for pity's sake!

Most of those that made Bioware what it was left the company, I have no hope left for a renaissance. A pity with Mass Effect 4 and Dragon Age 4 releasing in the next couple years.
I still had fun playing their newer games, but they just don't compare to the originals story-wise, let alone the characters.

I hope he locates the Rebuild Button.

Unless EA sells them on and the new owner brings back the original staff, there's simply nothing left anyway (all the real talent moved on years ago). I'm predicting they will join The Graveyard by 2025-2030.

Why is this news only for dogs?

BioWare never recovered from having Aaryn Flynn in charge.

I'm not sure Bioware ever made a truly great game (though Baldur's Gate 2 may come close), so their reputation was probably already overrated even in their glory days.
I haven't played any of their games after Dragon age: Origins (which I played last year for the first time, thought it was ok, liked the world-building, but found the gameplay tedious). What's the general view about their decline and its causes?

They were acquired by EA just before Dragon Age Origins was released but late enough into the development cycle that EA couldn't screw anything up, hence why it's a great game and deemed to be the last "Bioware proper" game. The result of the EA acquisition was quickly visible though in the embarrassment that was Dragon Age 2...

All the long-term talent behind Baldurs Gate, Neverwinter Nights & Dragon Age Origins have long left the company including Mike Laidlaw & James Ohlen (Creative Directors), Brent Knowles (Lead Designer), David Gaider (Lead Writer), Kevin Martens (Senior Designer), etc. Not to mention the main founders (Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk) both got out at the right moment several years ago. The departing senior designer of BG2, NWN, Jade Empire & DAO commented in an interview "looking ahead I knew that I wasn't going to be satisfied with what Dragon Age 2 would be. I'm not the same person I was when I started, and BioWare certainly isn't the same company..."

It's not, it says Barking News, not Barking Exclusive. You may disagree, but I definitely consider KotOR to be one of the truly great RPGs. And the first Mass Effect is close enough.

All you need to know in 40 seconds.

I really like all Bioware games until DA: O, although they all feel a bit similar storywise. But imo what Bioware stood out for was making game engines, such as Infinity and Aurora.

imo Kotor is a great Star Wars game, but a mediocre rpg, the mechanics are pretty basic and the combat is tedious (though I still enjoyed the Kotor games, liked the 2nd one - which was made by Obsidian iirc - quite a bit more than the first though because imo it has better writing). Haven't played Mass effect, so can't comment on it.
I often see Bioware games criticised/derided for their focus on romances and dumbed-down gameplay, and imo the germs of that have been there since at least Baldur's Gate 2. But since I haven't played anything by Bioware after DA: Origins, I can't judge how great the difference between the early and later games really is. thx, that was informative!
So the criticism is about their money-making schemes for extra items etc. and the cringeworthy romances?
Ok, definitely sounds terrible.

The claim of the manager as cited in the thread title is just meaningless hot air bluster and a PR stunt.

"Rebuilding its reputation" is not something that he actually has any power whatsoever to control, even if he sincerely wants to do what he said he does.

To accomplish that in reality would require all, or at least most, of the same employees there now in 2021 as were there in the past. But that isn't the case. And there is absolutely nothing he can do to magically emulate that just because he feels like it.

nobody should care about what they promise
make games , we will look at them if we see they are good we buy em

Ah, I must have been barking up the wrong tree!