Former Bioware Director suggests Microsoft and Sony as new owners after EA sale

The future of Bioware is under speculation in the industry, especially after the recent sale of EA for $55 billion. Mark Darrah, former director of projects at Bioware and industry veteran, discussed in a YouTube video who could acquire the studio if EA decided to put it up for sale. Although the current scenario at EA is one of instability and debt, the exit of Bioware could be the solution for the studio and a strategic move for potential buyers.

The main concern lies in EA's business model. The company maintains a commitment to its monetization model full of microtransactions and live service elements, which, according to the former director, has harmed recent Bioware games. A sale could help cover part of the $20 billion debt assumed by the consortium of investors who bought EA (PIF, Affinity Partners, and Silver Lake), and would allow Bioware to return to the golden age of RPGs.

Darrah, who has no insider information about EA or the buyers, used his experience to suggest potential buyers of the studio behind titles like Mass Effect, Dragon Age: Origins, Knights of the Old Republic, and Baldur's Gate. The most logical names, in his opinion, would be Microsoft and Sony.

Microsoft is a strong candidate, given that it already has extensive partnerships with EA, such as including EA Play in some Game Pass subscriptions. However, the company is still dealing with the consequences of acquiring Activision-King, which resulted in antitrust lawsuits and layoffs at various studios.

Sony is another logical contender, known for its focus on big single-player games. Acquiring Bioware would allow them to add Dragon Age and Mass Effect to their list of traditional RPG exclusives. Darrah also mentioned Amazon and Disney as potential buyers, emphasizing that this possibility is a big "MAYBE".

Amazon is an interesting underdog, given its current production of the Mass Effect TV series, and could be interested in integrating videogames into its portfolio of games.

Regardless of the buyer, or even if EA decides to keep Bioware internally, fans expect the studio to return to producing high-quality traditional RPGs, without the live service elements or simplistic decisions that marked their recent games. The hope is that Bioware can make the games that fans want to play again, ensuring the success of future projects like Mass Effect 5.