Peter Mandelson, a prominent figure in Tony Blair’s Labour Party, once expressed indifference towards their traditional voter base, assuming they would always return, much like RPG fans to their beloved genre. David Gaider, the mind behind Dragon Age, recently revealed that EA’s executives believed RPG enthusiasts would buy any title branded with the BioWare name. In his interview with GamesRadar, Gaider shared how EA’s philosophy was that “the nerds in the cave would always show up for an RPG, because it was an RPG.”

This shifted BioWare’s focus, prioritizing games for audiences outside the dedicated RPG community. Gaider noted, “You didn’t have to try to appeal to them. You had to worry about the people who weren’t in the cave.” This mindset led to a more action-oriented approach in major releases, sidelining the intricate mechanics that once defined their RPGs.

Although this era produced hits, Gaider’s reluctance towards this direction grew until his departure from BioWare in 2016. He now leads a new endeavor outside of EA, leaving behind the uncertain fate of titles like Anthem.