Former BioWare Producer Calls Out “Cruel” Fans

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Summary

  • By crossing the line between criticism and cruelty, fans have gone out of their way to harass game developers.
  • Mark Darrah, a former BioWare producer, expresses how this cruelty is entirely undeserved.
  • While harassers may think they’re targeting the right people, odds are they aren’t.

Over the last couple of years, I’ve witnessed a fair share of disappointing triple-A games, mostly due to technical glitches and unappealing narratives. However, one aspect that hasn’t changed a bit is the relentless cries of discontent from gamers everywhere.

It’s only fair that each failure receives constructive criticism, but unfortunately, some people have gone too far by bullying and abusing the creators and designers of our beloved video games.

Mark Darrah, previously associated with BioWare and the Dragon Age series, has shared a video titled “Your $70 Doesn’t Justify Cruelty.” In this video, he discusses that even though numerous contemporary games may not meet expectations, gamers should not exploit or mistreat game developers.

Known primarily for BioWare productions, Darrah has been associated with several recent high-budget flops, such as Anthem, Mass Effect: Andromeda, and to a certain extent, Dragon Age: The Veilguard. Each of these titles received justified criticism for their numerous issues.

However, certain members within these communities have chosen to act excessively unkind towards developers by celebrating layoffs, sending hostile messages, and repeatedly harassing them. According to Darrah, this behavior is disproportionate to the $70 price tag of the game.

In the realm of gaming, it’s all about digital fun and adventure. Now, I’m not suggesting that we’re supposed to walk on eggshells, but let’s remember that other players are part of this experience too. It doesn’t mean you can’t express frustration or anger, just try to keep it constructive and avoid causing unnecessary distress to others in the game world.

One could debate that if you purchase a game at full price and find the content unsatisfactory, you have the freedom to voice your displeasure. However, as Darrah points out, “are you absolutely sure that they are the ones to blame for the aspect of the game that you dislike?

In the video, he clarifies that a poorly delivered voice line might not be the actor’s doing, but could instead be due to the developer responsible for recording the lines, the scriptwriter who penned them, or even the producer who pressed the developers to complete that section of the game too quickly.

How To Properly Complain About A Game

Instead of singling out an individual team member like a coder, level designer, or artist, Darrah suggests it would be more effective to voice your complaints to the producer or creative director.

If you’re trying to identify who might be responsible for an issue, the individual listed first in the credits is typically the one who held the lead role or had overall supervision of the project. This doesn’t grant you permission to mistreat them, but they are the appropriate recipient for constructive criticism regarding the game.

Mark Darrah held the position of executive producer at Anthem, and he stated, “It’s more beneficial if you have concerns about how Anthem turned out, to voice them to someone like myself instead.

To be frank, it’s quite unusual for a game producer to express such a modest opinion, given that upper management often choose to deactivate their accounts and avoid interaction when faced with intense fan criticism.

To clarify, there’s a significant difference between constructive criticism and outright bullying in the game development sphere. Although fundamental critiques are vital for refining game designs, it’s important to remember that designers might have encountered similar feedback numerous times prior.

It’s important to find positive methods for expressing dissatisfaction, whether that’s through videos, articles, or conversations. However, attacking and harassing those involved in these games is never beneficial. We strongly recommend watching the entire video by Mark Darrah if you’re curious about his viewpoint.

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2025-02-20 01:41