Armando Troisi, who worked as cinematic designer on the original Mass Effect and lead cinematic designer on Mass Effect 2, says the BioWare team currently developing the next Mass Effect installment doesn't need outside advice. In an interview with FRVR, Troisi pointed to veteran staff still at the studio, including lead designer Preston Watamaniuk, art director Derek Watts, and Parish Ley, saying, "They're the OGs, you know? I don't think there's anything that I could tell them that they don't know what to do."
Troisi, who left BioWare after Mass Effect 2, recalled a card given to him when he departed that read "passion and craft is excellence," and said he believes the current team still embodies both qualities. He argued that BioWare's core strength lies in single-player, narrative-driven RPGs with deep combat and progression systems, and that the studio's original mandate was to keep iterating on that formula before the industry's live-service push disrupted things. He likened the studio's path to Halo's Master Chief going on a "walkabout" before returning to form.
Rather than worrying about the developers, Troisi's concern centers on outside interference. "It's one of those things where, if people get out of the way and let game creators just do their thing, you never know the magic that they can create," he said, adding that he is "rooting for" the team. Separately, former BioWare lead Mark Darrah has said many of the studio's problems trace back to publisher EA's "complicated relationship to shipping games at all."
Coverage of Troisi's comments comes amid broader turmoil at BioWare and EA. According to GamesRadar+, EA and BioWare executives have drawn criticism over Dragon Age: The Veilguard's 2025 release, the shutdown of Anthem in 2026 after seven years, and a new $55 billion buyout involving Saudi Arabian backing and investor Jared Kushner, which reportedly puts EA $20 billion in debt. Some EA developers have expressed worry that future projects may need to align with the preferences of the company's new government-linked owners, either explicitly or through self-censorship.
Former EA senior manager Emmanuel Rosier said BioWare has been "struggling as a studio, as a brand," and questioned whether EA will continue funding Mass Effect going forward, saying, "I will believe it when I see it." Mark Darrah has also expressed concern that heavy involvement from EA's new owners could cause significant damage. GamesRadar+ notes the next entry, referred to as Mass Effect 5, was announced at the 2020 Game Awards, meaning fans have waited roughly eight years for updates; Eurogamer's report does not specify a number and refers only to "the next Mass Effect game."
Separately, Eurogamer notes that some former Mass Effect writers have gone on to found Archetype Entertainment, developing a separate sci-fi RPG called Exodus, described as a spiritual successor to Mass Effect. A journalist who played roughly 45 minutes of the game said the preview left them "both intrigued and impressed" by what Archetype is attempting.