Why Fans Shouldn’t Worry About Mass Effect: Andromeda

Mass Effect is a series that has brought so much to video games.  With so much lore involved in the story, let’s look why the next installment shouldn’t worry fans.
The level of player immersion through choice sets the bar, the characters are some of the most well-written in all of gaming and the trilogy is full of powerful moments.  The series is one of the most critically-acclaimed (and most controversial) in recent gaming, and many fans have been eagerly anticipating the long-awaited sequel; Mass Effect: Andromeda.  Recent changes in the leadership of the development team combined with a delay in the initial launch date has given many fans pause. Many excited members of the N7 community believe there is cause for a lot of concern with the next installment of this beloved franchise. When these developments are examined more closely, however, the game is probably in a pretty good place.
Why People Are Worried
The first glimpses that got people were worried began in December, when Creative Director Chris Wynn announced via Twitter that he was leaving BioWare.  “It is with a heavy heart today to say that I am moving on from BioWare and Mass Effect: Andromeda, and returning to the USA… The Andromeda team is the most talented team that I have ever worked with, truly inspiring to have worked with you each and every day. I will join the passionate N7 community and will eagerly await the release of Andromeda with equal enthusiasm. Thank you and Happy Holidays!”
Obviously, the departure of such a leader on the development team would cause some fans concern; the departure of another would be even more so.  When Lead Writer, Chris Schlerf, announced his departure from BioWare in February, even more worried speculation began.  Couple these departures with the leak of a pushed-back launch date, and its little wonder that many fans are contemplating jumping ship.
Why It’s All Going to be Fine
Let’s start this off by recognizing that Mass Effect: Andromeda was already under a pretty tight microscope simply because of the incredibly passionate and widely disappointed reaction to the ending to Mass Effect 3 (deservedly so).  Many (not all) fans were incredibly unhappy with the original ending, and, although BioWare worked hard to make up it with the addition of some pretty awesome DLC as well as a free extended-cut to the ending, that feeling of disappointment has unmistakably haunted BioWare and the franchise to its newest anticipated addition.  While the fact remains that this can cause extra concern for Andromeda, it may not be necessarily warranted.  Even if you do think that the ending of the third game was absolutely horrible, there are an incredible amount of things that BioWare absolutely got right in the trilogy that shows that they know what they are doing; and if that isn’t enough, the additional DLC and story that they brought to the game after the initial release was universally accepted as extremely well done.  Many consider the Citadel DLC to be their favorite piece of the whole trilogy, and that was the very last thing that BioWare did in the Mass Effect universe.
Chris Wynn’s departure from BioWare was a surprise move in the development of Andromeda.  Many fans began to wonder how the change in leadership would affect the game’s future.   BioWare issued the following statement: “Chris was a great member of the team,” Bioware said. “We want to thank him for his contributions and we wish him the best in his new adventures. Development of Mass Effect Andromeda continues to move full speed ahead at BioWare Montreal, Edmonton and Austin.”  Obviously, this is the response that BioWare should have given, regardless of how Wynn’s departure actually affected the game. After all, its simply good business.  News outlet  Crossmap noted that BioWare has upwards of 200 developers working on the project, and quoted Colin Campbell: “If you’re making a big RPG, like we’re making, they are big moving beasts so you need a team that is capable of taken vision from high up and populating it out to a game that in a lot of cases devs won’t see the parts of it…”  He summed it all up when he commented that, “You need to have a really good team that has really good communication.”
This is the reason why Gamingbolt agreed that Chris Wynn’s departure from the project isn’t too worrisome: “…just one person leaving the team, even if that one person was very senior, can hardly derail development- I’d believe Bioware on this one.”  In a similar fashion, Christian Today asserted that, “While Wynn indeed was a very senior member of the team, BioWare must have had some plans in place for such eventualities, and already carried out replacements to keep development of “Mass Effect: Andromeda” on track.”
The second major developer to leave Bioware was lead writer, Chris Schlerf.  While another leader on the team announcing that he is leaving the studio within two months of the first seems like certain bad news for the title, a little knowledge about the video game production process will show that this is not really the case.  Many fans saw this as trouble for the story, one of the most beloved aspects and strengths of BioWare as a whole.  BioWare has discussed in panels some of the procedures and stages that a game goes through in development.  So many other parts of production such as cinematics, voice acting, and level design rely on the writing to be solidified. From that point on, the writers work with the other teams in the studio to make sure that the story is delivered in a way consistent with the vision of the writers.  This means that the main job of the writers is done early on in development, and Chris Schlerf’s departure this late in the game’s production is not nearly as critical as it may seem.  It’s not as if BioWare is devoid of other talented writers either. Such staples to the series as Patrick Weekes, who wrote beloved characters like Tali and Mordin in the original trilogy, are still heavily involved in the project.
The final piece of news that worried fans of the series was the leak of the delayed release date.  At first glance, it certainly seems as though a studio that is confident enough to give a solid release date over a year in advance, but then loses two of its major developers before announcing a delay to the game’s release is troubling. The fact that BioWare is taking its time to make sure that Andromeda will release in the state that the studio and the fans expect is refreshing.  Most fans would agree that they would rather wait and have a polished, finalized experience than receive a rushed, glitch-filled incomplete game.  It is also worth noting that not every delay in a game’s release is the result of a problem or an internal error.  It very well could be that the game’s creators decided to add a new feature that they decided was worth the wait because of the way that it enhanced the overall experience.
The Bottom Line
Adequately examining the recent news in Mass Effect: Andromeda’s production in detail should not be as alarming as it has been for many fans.  If anything else, looking at BioWare’s recent overwhelming success with Dragon Age: Inquisition and the final DLC for Mass Effect 3 should give fans more excitement for what the studio has been working to bring fans for years.  In a post from last summer, a Reddit user shared a leaked survey that he took online that reportedly outlined several key components to Andromeda, including an enhanced crafting system, the return of the Mako (now confirmed), an overhaul of the loot system, and many more innovative elements.  This survey, though not officially confirmed, is nearly certainly legitimate, and if so, means exciting things are happening with the next chapter in the Mass Effect universe.  Even the recently leaked artwork looks incredibly promising.  And if these aren’t enough of a reason to be excited for Andromeda, one final thing should.
For all of the ups and downs, the team making this game is still BioWare.  This is the studio that made Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. It’s the same studio that brought some of the most immersive RPGs of our time to life, captured the attention of gamers worldwide and won countless awards.  Most of all, this is a studio that loves the games that they make.  Any fan who follows any number of members of the development team on Twitter will see daily posts from the team that are full of excitement and full of passion for their creation.  This is a team that genuinely wants to give their fans the best story, the best experience that they can deliver and they certainly have the talent and track record to show that they can do just that.