BioWare Out of Develop 100 List of Best Studios

Despite the harsh criticism that the studio can receive from the more old-school players, it’s undeniable that BioWare is a widely respected studio, so it’s a little surprising to see them out of Develop’s Top 100 of best studios of 2010. Granted, the criteria are debatable (the list is based on the Metacritic averages of the respective studios), but Develop’s own analysis of the reasons for BioWare’s exclusion from the list is merciless. Here’s a telling excerpt:

While some may be aghast at the mere notion that Mass Effect 2’s creators aren’t in the Develop 100, we think the BioWare team, deep down, will understand.

It is a long-debated principle that a civilisation shouldn’t be measured solely by its most prosperous. Even in the often asinine culture of game development, we think the same attitude should be applied to game studios.

The truth: BioWare made poor content in 2010. Its Dragon Age Origins DLC policy was an unequivocal mess. A disaster. A monetisation strategy built on boredom. A year-long scattering of digital content that, much to the relief of EA, doesn’t come attached with a refund policy.

The nine Dragon Age Origins DLC packs carry the same creator’s name as Mass Effect 2 a brand which people understandably trust. As such, all releases under that name have been included in BioWare’s Metacritic average. It’s the same policy for all studios.

Would you agree with the analysis of BioWare’s 2010 or do you think the criteria used don’t do the Canadian developer’s work justice? Let us know.