BioWare owns its "creative culture," is free to make new IPs, says Gibeau

Frank Gibeau has said the firm backs BioWare on whatever creative endeavor it sets upon, whether it's a new IP or another entry in the Mass Effect series.

Speaking with Kotaku, EA's games label president said the firm doesn't force BioWare to develop anything, as the firm has loads of faith in Mass Effect executive producer Casey Hudson.

"If [executive producer Casey Hudson] decides on a story that he wants to tell, guess what? He's going to be able to step forward at EA and we're going to back him with capital for him to be able to go build that experience and tell a new story in the Mass Effect universe if that's what he wants to do," said Gibeau.

"If he wants to do something different, a new IP, he'll have our backing as well. He's a profoundly talented guy. He's got our confidence. And the audience loves him. So that's how it really works."

The firm also didn't interfere with the choices BioWare made regarding Mass Effect 3, Gubeau said, and it supported Hudson'd decision regarding the controversial ending to the third installment.

"Casey is an artist. He made a choice about the story that he [and the team] wanted to tell as related to Mass Effect 3. And we didn't intervene," said Gibeau.

"It's the same thing with PopCap, it's the same thing with how we reinvigorated [SimCity studio] Maxxis. It's the same thing with DICE. The way it actually really works is those guys report to me and they run their own individual businesses.

"They have their own individual creative choices. I will give them editorial feedback from time to time. But most of [my] time is spent doing research with customers and fans and understanding what's happening, and understanding how to make our games better.

"The truth is BioWare has developed as BioWare and that creative culture is owned by them. There's nobody in the central planning committee at Electronic Arts that rolls in the tank divisions [into our studios] when they get too independent or too risky or too thoughtful."

Thanks, OXM.