In a recent interview, former BioWare executive Mark Darrah made a striking suggestion for the team working on the next Mass Effect installment. The industry veteran, known for his work on the Dragon Age series, proposed that developers should use Dragon Age: The Veilguard as a "scapegoat" to protect their new project's development process. This unconventional advice comes from someone deeply familiar with BioWare's development challenges and EA's expectations.

Dragon Age: The Veilguard, released after nearly a decade in development, presents a cautionary tale for BioWare. While initial critical reception was positive, the game ultimately failed to meet commercial expectations. Electronic Arts reported the title underperformed by approximately 50%, attracting only 1.5 million players in its first quarter. This disappointing performance led to significant layoffs at BioWare, casting a shadow over the studio's current work on the next Mass Effect title.

During his conversation with MrMattyPlays, Darrah elaborated on his controversial suggestion. He encouraged the Mass Effect team to "use Veilguard as a scapegoat as much as they need to get what they need" from EA. This strategy involves highlighting The Veilguard's development missteps to secure necessary resources and creative freedom for the new project. One notable example Darrah might have referenced was the game's troubled transition from a live-service model to a single-player experience - a shift that reportedly caused significant development challenges.

The former executive also shared broader insights about BioWare's development culture. He described how the studio's projects have historically competed for resources, suggesting that focusing the entire team on a single project might yield better results. Darrah also touched on the tension between creative vision and commercial expectations, recalling how EA executives initially struggled to recognize the mainstream potential of Dragon Age: Origins, despite readily seeing it in Mass Effect.

Details about the next Mass Effect remain scarce, with no official title, setting, or release date announced. The project carries significant weight for BioWare, as EA has shown increasing dissatisfaction with the studio's recent output. Many industry observers view this as a make-or-break moment for the legendary developer, making Darrah's advice about learning from The Veilguard particularly timely.