An impressively in-depth report on the development of ANTHEM has been published over on Kotaku. Based on statements from a number of anonymous BioWare employees, news editor Jason Schreier outlines the game's incredibly rocky road to release. The report also highlights poor working conditions behind closed doors at developer BioWare.
We're obviously not going to go into all of the details here, but apparently, even before Mass Effect: Andromeda launched back in 2017, ANTHEM was struggling. Despite some promising prototypes, poor management meant that ANTHEM failed to ever really take shape until much later in the development process. Sources state that meetings consistently ended with indecision as to the direction of the project, and that the relationship between BioWare's two studios was strained.
On top of that, BioWare had a torrid time with the Frostbite engine, leading to a catalogue of technical issues that kept cropping up. Going by the report, the whole thing sounds like an absolute nightmare, even though initially, the development team's morale was holding strong.
However, it comes as little surprise to learn that ANTHEM only entered full production in the final 18 months before it launched earlier this year. Before then, sources say that many developers didn't even really know what kind of game they were working on.
As alluded, BioWare's supposed situation isn't very healthy. The report refers to BioWare as "a studio in crisis", and cites shocking reports of developer depression and anxiety. Some employees were apparently forced to take weeks or even months off work in order to combat stress, but sadly this didn't work for everyone. The report tells of "stress casualties" -- some employees simply didn't return from their break.
The article paints an undeniably bleak picture, and goes a long way in explaining the many flaws of ANTHEM as a video game -- but it's the behind the scenes stuff at BioWare that's easily the most worrying part of the report.
Update: BioWare has responded to the report with its own statement, which you can read more about through here.
[source kotaku.com]
Comments 18
Surprise to: no one.
When Jason Schreier writes it, you know it's serious lol.
I knew it was about JS as soon as I read the title haha
(not even knowing it's Kotaku)
Anthem scripted gameplay video played by real people. haha https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lHo04qOae0Q
Updated the article.
I will read the article tonight, but from this article it sounds like the end of bioware is not far off. And judging by the response to Anthem, i cant say im surprised. The game was never interesting in the slightest. The only thing generating any interest was the fact it came from the studio that made the mass effect trilogy.
Such a shame (genuine, not sarcasm)
Sounds just like what happend with Andromeda
My heart goes out to the employees that have suffered, whatever you may think of a fictional game, nobody deserves to be treated or suffer like they have while in a work place or any kind of enviroment.
Perhaps, if Bioware held their hands up admitted they did wrong and go and sort their house out before releasing anymore updates/ patches / games. Health before wealth.
@Shepherd_Tallon haha sounds like a JS special. His article on working conditions at Rockstar when RDR2 released took 3 sittings to work through (my criticism would be he repeated himself many times during the article in an otherwise fascinating peek behind the curtain of game development).
Thanks for the heads up. Strong coffee it is
@Areus So they learned nothing from their last mistakes?
@Xaessya Nope they should have learned from Dragon Age inquisition that trying to use frostbite for something it wasn't made for is bad but at least that game turned out alright in the end Andromeda could have as well if they had not abandoned it
People need to realise that being independent and shopping publishers is the way to go. Keeps the devs AND a lot more publishers hungry. Or enter into agreements but never sell.
@Areus
And dragon age 2 and dragon age inquisition. They never learn.
I long suspected BioWare was in a bad condition, but I wasn't prepared for it to be THIS bad. Maybe it would be better for everyone if BioWare was axed.
Is there a TL;DR of Kotaku's post? I appreciate Schreier's efforts, but there's no way I'm reading a novel just to know how the Titanic sank.
@uMuffin 5 years of indecision, an incompatible engine, immense financial pressure from EA and poor leadership from Bioware
Garbage management as usual is main problem
@DrKameren Thanks!
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