Following reports that Amazon Prime is close to signing a deal for a Mass Effect television adaptation, former BioWare lead writer David Gaider took to Twitter to pen his thoughts on a potential Mass Effect or Dragon Age TV series.
Gaider, who spent more than 16 years at BioWare before resigning in 2016, wrote that the mere idea of a Mass Effect or Dragon Age TV show makes him “cringe” because a custom protagonist is a key feature of both video game franchises, which can’t be translated into a TV show. Gaider argued that this will result in alienating a portion of the fan base right off the bat.
Gaider also pointed out that Mass Effect and Dragon Age protagonists are meant to be a “blank slate” that players fill out with their decisions as they play. Considering TV shows are a passive medium, any TV show protagonist will have a set personality and story, which Gaider finds “weird.”
“Consider just how MUCH of the story is off-loaded onto the companions,” he continued. “They are the cyphers through which the player gets most of their emotional engagement from. On their own, the DA and ME protagonists are… well, pretty boring. That’s not going to fly.”
You can read the entire thread below.
I’m relieved to see that the Mass Effect/Amazon deal is for a potential TV series and not a movie. Even so, the possibility (and likewise for Dragon Age) makes me cringe just a little, unlike many fans who appear… excited?
Let me explain. (Thread)
— David Gaider (@davidgaider) November 25, 2021
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