Why Mass Effect’s Lead Writer Mac Walters Left BioWare - MinnMax Interview
332In this MinnMax Interview, Ben Hanson talked to the lead writer for the Mass Effect trilogy Mac Walters about why he left BioWare to create a new studio funded by NetEase called Untold Worlds. They talk about lessons from BioWare's growth over the last 20 years, how to assemble a team for a new studio, and the sci-fi action game that Untold Worlds is developing. If you enjoy long-form interviews like this, please subscribe to MinnMax's YouTube channel or support this content directly by unlocking the podcast version on Patreon. https://www.patreon.com/minnmax
To jump to a particular discussion, check out the timestamps below...
00:00:00 - Intro
00:01:50 - Welcoming Mac Walters
00:02:49 - Mac’s love of scuba diving
00:04:38 - Leaving BioWare after 19 years
00:08:33 - The offices of BioWare and Worlds Untold
00:10:57 - Naming Samara in Mass Effect 2
00:12:50 - How stressful was BioWare?
00:15:08 - Why the Mass Effect remaster made Mac want to leave BioWare
00:22:18 - How to keep a small development studio healthy
00:25:56 - Lessons from BioWare’s doctors
00:28:12 - Becoming a NetEase 1st party studio
00:30:38 - How to assemble a new team
00:34:35 - Recruiting Metal Gear alumn Sotaro Tojima
00:37:50 - Worlds Untold’s New IP
00:40:50 - The sci-fi naming trend for new studios
00:42:14 - Talking to Casey Hudson
00:43:33 - Why he’s eager to leave Mass Effect behind
00:45:17 - Mass Effect 3’s ending
00:47:47 - How often does Mac think about Mass Effect
00:49:11 - The morale boost of Mass Effect: Legendary Edition
00:50:14 - Thoughts on procedural generation
00:52:48 - Worlds Untold is not an RPG
00:54:28 - Thoughts on Starfield
00:56:02 - Lessons from Mass Effect: Andromeda
01:00:40 - The mission for Worlds Untold
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