Shepard’s Voice Actors Reflect on BioWare’s Future and Industry Changes
Reactions from the Heart
In a casual chat on October 21st, the iconic voice actors behind Commander Shepard, Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, shared their thoughts and feelings about the recent shake-up at BioWare. While addressing fans via Instagram Live, they tackled the bittersweet reality facing the beloved video game studio. Spoiler alert: it’s not all doom and gloom!
Hale kicked things off with an unexpectedly hopeful vibe, saying, “I feel weirdly hopeful, and I can’t explain why!” She expressed deep sympathy for the employees who found themselves jobless, worried about those fantastic team members desperately searching for new gigs. That’s some real empathy right there!
Mark chimed in, sharing his own take on the odd situation, highlighting the unpredictable nature of ownership: “It’s tough thinking about BioWare shutting down, especially when it fell into hands that might not fully grasp its magic. But hey, maybe the new big wigs will recognize the goldmine of intellectual properties they’ve got and decide to share the love!” Sounds like wishful thinking, but why not dream a little?
From Community to Celebration
Hale’s optimism didn’t stop there. She suggested a wild idea: “What if we all pitched in and launched a community-based Kickstarter? We could take over BioWare and run it ourselves! Anything is possible, right?” Now that’s a thought! A bunch of gamers uniting to revive their favorite games sounds like something straight out of a feel-good movie.
However, as Mare reminded everyone, the video game industry seems to be a giant feeding frenzy where companies keep gobbling each other up. And when these corporate giants implode, all their pieces scatter into the gaming universe like confetti. “The creative spark? Yeah, it often takes a backseat to profit margins,” he lamented. Sad but true…
Hale brought the vibe back up by stressing how important Mass Effect’s community still is: “With the fans keeping the spirit alive, we’ll always celebrate N7 Day!” They even hinted at a big celebration for Mass Effect’s 20th anniversary next year. Because nothing stops fans from showing love for their favorite space epic!
Beneath the giggles and chatter, it was clear both of them felt a deep connection to BioWare’s legacy. They recognized just how much joy the games brought to people’s lives and how important it was to keep that spirit alive, even amidst changes and uncertainty.
As we keep our fingers crossed for BioWare’s future, let’s remember one thing – whether it’s community fundraisers or just fan art, as long as the fans are out there, the heart of BioWare will beat on. Here’s to hoping for a happy ending in this crazy game industry saga!