BioWare Vet: Most Veilguard Devs Had 'Little or No Say' in What You Hated

Ever wonder who's really to blame when a game rubs you the wrong way? If you've been online this week, you've probably seen the fallout from BioWare's closure—and the ugly comments aimed at the developers behind Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Now, BioWare veteran James Ohlen is speaking up, and his message is worth hearing.

In case you missed it, EA shut down BioWare, the legendary studio behind Baldur's Gate, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect. Hundreds of people lost their jobs. Ohlen, a BioWare veteran and creative director on Baldur's Gate 1 and 2, initially tweeted support for those affected, calling them "some of the best RPG developers in the world" and offering referrals. That's the good stuff. But the comments? Not so good. A lot of folks used the thread to blame The Veilguard team for the studio's downfall.

Ohlen clearly read those replies, because he followed up with a new tweet to set the record straight. "The majority of people on a team the size of Veilguard's had little or no say in the things you disliked about it," he wrote. "Right up to the end, BioWare still had many people who worked on the games you loved." That's a key point: the people getting blamed often weren't the ones calling the shots.

He also got personal. Ohlen acknowledged he has his "own issues with modern entertainment, especially when political messaging gets in the way of good storytelling." But he pointed out he was the guy responsible for the Broodmothers in Dragon Age: Origins—and also the guy who wanted Zevran to be a same-sex romance. He mentioned his son came out as gay, and that he converted to Catholicism years ago. "My son and I love each other and enjoy arguing over politics and religion," he shared.

His bigger point? "It's possible to hold views that don't fit neatly into anyone's political camp, and to love and respect people you disagree with," Ohlen concluded. "People are complicated. That includes the people who make the games you love or hate." It's a thoughtful take in a sea of noise, especially as some fans fixate on things like The Veilguard's nonbinary companion as proof BioWare went "woke."

Look, The Veilguard got strong reviews from critics, but plenty of longtime Dragon Age fans have legit complaints about design choices. That's fair. But blaming individual developers for decisions they had little control over? That's not. Ohlen's follow-up is a reminder that game development is a team effort, and the people losing their jobs are human beings with families and bills—not political punching bags.

So next time you're frustrated with a game, remember: the person who coded that feature or wrote that line might not have had any say in the big-picture calls. And with BioWare gone, those talented folks are now looking for work. If you're hiring, maybe take Ohlen up on his offer. What do you think—should fans direct their frustration at developers, or at the decision-makers?