Mass Effect: Ex-BioWare author doubts the idea of ​​a series – and he has good counter-arguments


In Mass Effect, players define the plot with their decisions.

Many fans are excited about the The Last of Us series adaptation and the Witcher series is also really well received. So shouldn’t the rumor that Amazon has secured the rights to a Mass Effect series cause enthusiasm? David Gaider, the lead author of all three Dragon Age games, isn’t so sure. Because there are big differences between the first-mentioned franchises and Mass Effect. We explain Gaider’s doubts to you.

The main character problem

It’s all about this: According to reports, Amazon is said to have secured the rights to a Mass Effect series. David Gaider is skeptical on Twitter and explains his doubts in one detailed thread. The BioWare veteran worked for the company for 17 years and was the lead writer responsible for all three Dragon Age parts. He has concerns about various aspects:

Mass Effect does not have a predefined main character: In contrast to The Last of Us and The Witcher, for example, players in Mass Effect define their main character through the decisions they make in the game. It starts with the choice of gender. Gaider notes:

Said TV show would have to choose whether the main character is male or female. Boom, right away you offended part of the die-hard fan base who had raised their hopes.

And of course it doesn’t stop with this one option. Much more important is that players can shape Shepard in the course of the plot. The story of the games is secondary, as Gaider explains:

More on Mass Effect:

As for the supporting characters, fans have different preferences.
As for the supporting characters, fans have different preferences.

The problem with the supporting characters

But it’s not just the concept of the main character that worries Gaider. The same goes for the supporting characters, who, in his opinion, play a more important role in Mass Effect than is the case in more linear stories. In a story in which the main character is an empty shell that is filled by the players – as in Mass Effect and Dragon Age – they set the direction.

In a series adaptation, the author fears, there is simply not enough space to accommodate them all and to give them all enough weight. That again disappoints fans who have a strong bond with very different supporting characters. Again, it is a problem to have to decide who will get enough spotlight.

At least Gaider sees a small ray of hope: The medium of series can at least do a better job of doing the job than a cinematic implementation that leaves even less time for the characters. The author also notes that the adaptation would, at best, be a bit further away from the original plot, or even tell a story apart from Commander Shepard. He wishes the show runners the best of luck – and notes that they will need it.

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What do you think of Gaider’s concerns? Do you agree with the author or do you think there is a way the series adaptation can work for all fans?



Reference-www.gamepro.de