By Jon Scarr
Mass Effect and Dragon Age are back in the conversation, with BioWare co-founder and Beamdog CEO Trent Oster looking into what it would take to revive the franchises following EA's closure of BioWare on October 21. Oster has also reached out to former BioWare creative director James Ohlen about working together again. Ohlen welcomed the idea of returning to Dragon Age.
Oster Calculates the Cost of a Mass Effect Revival
On November 4th, Oster responded to the #SaveMassEffect campaign on X, saying there was still a case for a well-funded RPG developer. The next day, he estimated that a modern AAA Mass Effect game could cost more than $200 million to develop, based on comparable games. He didn't specify a currency and said an experienced team could make it for less.
On November 7th, Oster wrote that he'd passed 30 revisions while working through financial scenarios in Excel for Mass Effect and Dragon Age.
Oster led development of Neverwinter Nights at BioWare before co-founding Beamdog in 2009. The Edmonton studio has since released enhanced editions of classic RPGs, including Baldur's Gate and Planescape: Torment.
James Ohlen Welcomes a BioWare Reunion
On November 6th, Oster publicly asked Ohlen if he'd be interested in reuniting, calling him the first person he'd want to recruit. Ohlen replied on November 8th:
“Of course! A chance to work on Dragon Age again is a dream of mine.”
Ohlen spent more than two decades at BioWare, where he held major creative roles on Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Dragon Age: Origins.
EA's Game Rights Remain an Obstacle
EA owns Mass Effect and Dragon Age. Oster has said securing those rights would be essential for any independent revival.
In my November 9th investigation into a potential BioWare employee buyout, Ronnie Villanueva at Edmonton Screen told me: “EA isn’t obligated to sell any of its intellectual property, even if federal assistance was involved.”
Oster has also welcomed the possibility of Canadian government support. When NDP MP Don Davies argued that BioWare's developers should get the first chance to buy the studio with federal help, Oster replied that they “should have a chat,” according to Video Games Chronicle.
I've contacted Beamdog to ask whether Oster has spoken with EA, potential investors or Canadian government officials about a possible revival.
Jon Scarr
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