Former Dragon Age narrative lead, David Gaider, has recently shed light on the reasons behind his departure from BioWare in 2016, unveiling some unsettling revelations about the treatment of writers at the renowned game development studio.
In a series of tweets, Gaider provided insight into the shift in attitude towards writers within the studio, which is currently working on the highly anticipated Dragon Age: Dreadwolf. Gaider expressed a rather grim outlook, stating, “Even BioWare, which built its success on a reputation for good stories and characters, slowly turned from a company that vocally valued its writers to one where we were… quietly resented, with a reliance on expensive narrative seen as the ‘albatross’ holding the company back.”
These tweets coincide with the ongoing writers’ strike in the United States, organized by the Writers Guild of America to protest against the emergence of “a gig economy inside a union workforce” (via Vox).
Gaider weighed in on the matter, emphasizing that writing is an often undervalued discipline. He remarked, “It’s something that everyone thinks they can do (‘I can write a sentence! I know what a story is!’), and frankly, the difference between good and bad writing is lost on many, anyhow.”
Having left BioWare in 2016, Gaider is currently working on his new title, Stray Gods: the Roleplaying Musical, under his studio, Summerfall Studios. The game’s premise is an imaginative one, set in a supernatural version of the modern world, where players follow the story of Grace, a woman bestowed with the power to pull people into musical numbers by one of the Ancient Greek Muses.
In games, you even see this attitude among those who want to get into the field. "I don't have any REAL skills… I can't art, I can't program, so I guess I'll become a writer? It's better than QA!" As if game writing didn't require any actual skill which requires development.
— David Gaider (@davidgaider) May 2, 2023
With its unconventional and ambitious concept, Stray Gods presents an ample opportunity for Gaider to showcase his writing prowess.
The strength of writing often determines the success or failure of many video games. The Dragon Age trilogy exemplified this notion, offering a fully realized fantasy world complete with intricate politics, history, and a rich culture. Personally, experiencing that world through the Dragon Age trilogy and its memorable cast of characters was an absolute delight, setting a high standard for what modern video games can achieve in terms of world-building.
Gaider rightly draws attention to the indispensability of writers and their craft. As he aptly expressed, “in games, you even see this attitude among those who want to get into the field. ‘I don’t have any REAL skills… I can’t art, I can’t program, so I guess I’ll become a writer? It’s better than QA!’ As if game writing didn’t require any actual skill, which requires development.”
While it is crucial to recognize that game development is a collaborative effort and not attributable to a single individual, it is gratifying to see Gaider advocate for this underappreciated sector of the industry. Video game writing holds a special place in the hearts of many, from the exceptional writing in titles like Marvel’s Midnight Suns to timeless narratives such as Final Fantasy 7. Memorable dialogue, engaging storylines, and captivating worldbuilding continue to resonate long after players put down their controllers.
