DAI has been a heartbreaking experience, and it's not even entirely due to the game itself or its issues (which already has been covered to death so I'll not get into it here as I've already left DAI behind)
I just want to post my last impressions for the off chance that someone at "Bioware" even reads this, as an old 16 yr fan since Baldurs Gate. And I say "Bioware" not as an insult, but out of respect and loyalty to the Bioware that I've supported for years. To elaborate on that; Bioware for me was a company that despite all its success and awards, it cared about the community, and they proved it, not just by words, but by action and this is NOT OLD NEWS; Extended Cut & Citadel DLC for ME3. It's part of the magic, not just the story and characters and lore (which I repeat - I LOVE so much, even perhaps too much hence my passion when I started posting).
Now, you know this song below STILL gives me goosebumps to this day? These goosebumps are not due to just Inon Zur's work, these goosebumps are due to the whole experience of Dragon Age Origins (which is a PERMAMENT part of my hard drive and desktop). Both in the game AND on the forum.
I understand alot have left, for retirement or other reasons it does not matter. What matters is that they had this magic, and have left behind a legacy. An example. A standard. It's a legacy that gives me goosebumps when listening to that music.
"Bioware", note this, the ME3 team dived into the forum, ignored all the destructive comments and took in all the constructive ones. They did all this with respect and understanding. After all their hard work, and the understandable heartbreak after so many fans turned on them, they still dived in, talked to us, and then made it better. They went the extra mile, that's what builds loyalty and passion for the company - internationally.
I understand the holiday period but EA needs to give you more resources on your support and PR department to work through this period even if it means HR has to hire temporary staff on a 6 month contract or something similar. How difficult can it truly be to find capable skilled staff who are Bioware fans? Post-release support is vital. That engineer who took time off his break to work on the game, he should be compensated, not just with a pat on his back but a bonus.
To conclude, please just understand the legacy, or else "Bioware" will lose even more of the most loyal and oldest fans (unless this is their intention), who are STILL loyal to Bioware, the REAL Bioware.
"Bioware" should not look at what happened to Bioware during the ME3 ending, and feel like the fans hate Mass Effect. Fans sent cakes of RGB colors tasting all the same not because they hate Mass Effect, but because they LOVE Mass Effect and will stand up for it the same way as they stood up for it when Fox News berated Mass Effect so ignorantly as a "sex simulator" (and when fans proceeded to sh-t all over that writer's book on Amazon lol)
You need to start understanding this passion, and perhaps, you'll see this forum from another perspective, instead of jumping in and taking the very vocal (yes) but passionate comments personally. Perspective. Please understand this. Fear is not an excuse when it comes to business. Please, evidence shows that this is something that even Bioware (the real Bioware) have not learned from the ME3 debacle. It can be tough to learn and we can be tough to deal with. You are human yes but remember that to many of us fans, what was achieved throughout the years was DIVINE.
We do not want to lose that magic.
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I also want to honor what BWEAmelia posted.
@Amelia
If a part of you regrets what you did, I just want to repeat what Cole says: It's not your fault.
I say again, it's not your fault. And "Bioware", note this if you haven't already; it's not her fault.
As shocked and insulted as I was by your post and your views in regards to paying customers, it took FEM-BALLS to do what you did. I've already put DAI aside, heartbroken, but it wasn't the issues I had, patches, bugs, or whatever, it's the communication. It's something the "Bioware" team as a whole have to understand. And in that it's not your fault. As there was no active PR or management for the community, eyes turned to you as you tried to communicate with us, handling something that is not even your job to handle. You have 2 out of the 3 traits (Honesty & Transparency) that I expect and highly respect from Bioware after the magic for 16 years, and it's better than what I have experienced up to this point. Not to point any fingers at anyone else either for the silence because it's NOT their fault either.
If folks are giving you a hard time because of this, please remember what I said. Hell, shove my post in their face next time. In the end, it's not your fault. To conclude, what you did, is more of a semblance of Bioware than anything else, and I MEAN IT in earnest. The team must take it to account. Remember this from just another passionate fan.
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