Here is the short of it: Remaining Bioware employees; you know what made Bioware great, EA obviously doesn't. So leave, start another company, get Kickstarter funding, and WE WILL COME IN DROVES to fund you. Then we WILL COME IN DROVES to buy your games.
And the longer version:
I can't pretend to know what's happened at Bioware after the takeover be EA. But hopefully there are those of you left in the Bioware division who understand why Bioware's reputation in the RPG world was so singularly epic. The reputation of Bioware is based on excellent storytelling, memorable characters, excellent game design/mechanics, emotional content, etc. Sure, there were a few missteps (remember the companion AI in NWN? Oh boy what a nightmare), but the foundation was always there, and always rock solid. As a player of Bioware games since the original Baldur's Gate (now playing the updated version on my iPad and loving it once again!), I finally came to a conclusion which I'm sure is neither particularly insightful or new; The direction of Bioware since the EA takeover is not the fault of Bioware employees, it is the fault of EA management. As a person who on occasion worked under some unbelievably clueless management, I can understand how you may no longer be able to produce the wonderful games you one created.
So here is my suggestion: Take all the remaining talent, track down anyone who may no longer be there and try to get them to join you, and create a new company (let's call it WhyOhBare for the sake of having some fun). Yes, you'll be leaving the Bioware name behind, but what's really left of it anyway? Read the forums, look at the metacritic user reviews; the reputation is already gone (hey, at least DAI is doing better than DA2 currently, but compare them both to DAO, which is overwhelmingly adored). Yes, it will be hard at first, and a bit sad to leave such a once-great name. But you have to leave EA behind. Leave them to use the Bioware name to make stupid button-mashing action games with poor writing, wooden characters, and terrible game mechanics. But that's not you. You are better than that, and until EA came along you proved it over and over and over again...
And: It will be worth it! WE WILL BE THERE FOR YOU. We will fund your kickstarter campaign and we will purchase your games in droves. We will buy your games and love them because they will be great again.
Thanks for listening.
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