BioWare Is Gone, Mass Effect Cancelled & Xbox’s Next-Gen Gamble

BioWare is closing after more than 30 years, and development on the next Mass Effect has been cancelled.

Luke Lohr and Captain Logun are joined by Brian Altano of The X Button to discuss BioWare’s legacy, what may happen to Mass Effect next, the realities of AAA game development, publisher expectations, monetization, and the growing pressure facing studios throughout the industry.

The conversation then turns to Xbox’s future, including Microsoft’s planned handheld, Project Helix, rising hardware prices, Game Pass, exclusivity, Play Anywhere, and what Xbox needs to offer players heading into another generation.

Brian also shares some thoughts on games media, launching The X Button, game development, and one particularly memorable Resident Evil interview.

Thoughtful discussions on gaming without the console war noise.

Support The Expansion Pass:

patreon.com/c/TheExpansionPass

Chapters

00:00 Welcome to The Expansion Pass

01:46 Brian Altano & The X Button

08:41 Creativity, AI & Independent Content

18:27 Games Media & Game Development

26:52 Brian’s Resident Evil Interview Story

40:01 The Expansion Pass Updates

42:20 Xbox Handheld & Project Helix

47:14 The Next-Gen Pricing Problem

51:50 Gaming Needs a Cheaper Entry Point

53:49 Can Xbox Win With a Handheld?

59:20 What Xbox & PlayStation Need Next

1:05:42 What Justifies an $1,800 Xbox?

1:09:19 Call of Duty & Xbox

1:14:13 Exclusives & the Next Generation

1:19:58 BioWare Closes & Mass Effect Is Cancelled

1:22:08 Dragon Age & Online Outrage

1:26:35 Publishers, Investors & Monetization

1:28:05 Politics & Representation in Games

1:32:46 Rocksteady, Suicide Squad & Publisher Mandates

1:34:37 What Happens to Mass Effect?

1:40:56 Closing Thoughts