BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development is a book published in November 2020 by Dark Horse Comics LLC. Written by Ben Gelinas with the assistance of a wide range of BioWare veterans, it presents the history of the studio from its inception up to the date of publication, with a focus on the concept art and anecdotes from every BioWare game, including cancelled projects. Among the many other games made by BioWare, the work revisits the creation and development of each of the Mass Effect games.
Jacket Copy[]
"CREATING WORLDS OF ADVENTURE, CONFLICT, AND COMPANIONSHIP THAT INSPIRE YOU TO BECOME THE HERO OF YOUR STORY." —BIOWARE'S MISSION
From BioWare's isometric role-playing roots to its beloved space operas and sweeping high fantasies, BioWare: Stories and Secrets from 25 Years of Game Development collects a quarter century of memories and milestones from the legendary video game studio.
These pages will put you in the room during key moments in BioWare's history, with never-before-seen art, photos,and design documents anchored by candid stories from developers past and present. See what it took to make games in those wild early days. Pore over details of secret canceled projects. Discover the genesis of beloved characters and games.
Written and collected by BioWare veterans, this massive retrospective is a tribute to the celebrated studio's legacy and a must-have for any fan of the best stories you can play.
Contents[]
The book contains a foreword by Mass Effect trilogy director Casey Hudson, who was BioWare's general manager at the time of publication. Afterwards, the book is divided into 4 parts:
- Doctors Explore Forgotten Realms (BioWare: Origins, Shattered Steel, Baldur's Gate, MDK2)
- Prairie Upstart Becomes Industry Legend (Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Jade Empire, Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, Revolver)
- From Ambition to Reality (Mass Effect, Agent, BioWare Labs, Mass Effect 2, Dragon Age: Origins, Dragon Age II)
- Exploring Thedas, the Milky Way, and Far Beyond (Star Wars: The Old Republic, Mass Effect 3, Dragon Age: Inquisition, Shadow Realms, Mass Effect: Andromeda, Anthem, The Future of BioWare, About the Author)
Transcriptions of the chapters related to Mass Effect are available below:
- The Making of Mass Effect
- BioWare Labs
- The Making of Mass Effect 2
- The Making of Mass Effect 3
- The Making of Mass Effect: Andromeda
References[]
- ISBN 978-1-50671-879-8
- Ebook ISBN 978-1-50671-880-4