Mac Walters

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Mac Walters is a video game developer best known for his work at BioWare as a writer on the Mass Effect series. [1]

Contents

Career

Mac Walters at the New York Comic Con, October 15, 2011 10.15.11MacWaltersByLuigiNovi1.jpg
Mac Walters at the New York Comic Con, October 15, 2011

Walters joined BioWare in 2003 as a writer on Jade Empire . [2] He followed this with a senior writer on the first Mass Effect game, before becoming lead writer on the second and third entry in the series. [3] As the writing team worked on the story, Walters encouraged the team to focus more on characters, to get players invested in the events of the game. [4] Around the time of the second Mass Effect game, Walters also wrote the story for a spin-off comic called Mass Effect: Redemption. [5] In 2013, Walters was also nominated for a BAFTA award for his writing on Mass Effect 3. [6]

He briefly served as narrative director on Anthem, [7] before returning to the Mass Effect universe as creative director on Mass Effect: Andromeda . [2] As they began work on Andromeda, Walters encouraged the team to return to a creative place where "anything is possible", rather than simply making Mass Effect 4. [4] During this time, Walters also penned a novel to bridge the narrative events of the Mass Effect trilogy and Andromeda. [8] The planned fourth novel was effectively canceled, as Walters' duties as creative director of Andromeda eventually took precedence, and development has stalled for the Mass Effect film. [9] After the release of Andromeda, Walters became project director for Mass Effect Legendary Edition . [2]

Walters became the production director on Dragon Age: Dreadwolf . [3] In 2023, Walters announced he was leaving BioWare after 19 years with the company. [2] In November 2023, NetEase announced the establishment of Worlds Untold, a new studio in Vancouver, Canada led by Walters. [10] [11] [12]

Video Games

YearTitleNotes
2005 Jade Empire Writer
2007 Mass Effect Writer
2010 Mass Effect 2 Lead writer
2012 Mass Effect 3 Lead writer
2017 Mass Effect: Andromeda Creative director
2019 Anthem Narrative director
2021 Mass Effect: Legendary Edition Project director

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References

  1. ↑ Orland, Kyle (2023-01-23). "Dragon Age: Dreadwolf loses another veteran BioWare producer". Ars Technica. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  2. 1 2 3 4 Bankhurst, Adam (2023-01-23). "Mass Effect Writer Mac Walters Leaves BioWare After Nearly Two Decades". IGN. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  3. 1 2 "Dragon Age Dreadwolf Loses Production Director As 19-Year Veteran Mac Walters Is Leaving BioWare". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  4. 1 2 "Mass Effect: Andromeda Mac Walters Interview". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  5. ↑ "Mass Effect comic arrives Jan. 6". GameSpot. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  6. ↑ Pitcher, Jenna (2013-03-06). "Journey sweeps this year's BAFTA Game awards". Polygon. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  7. ↑ "Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters leaves BioWare after 19 years". Eurogamer.net. 2023-01-23. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  8. ↑ "Mass Effect is getting four spin-off novels bridging the gap to Andromeda". Eurogamer.net. 2016-06-24. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  9. ↑ "BioWare talks Mass Effect Andromeda squadmates, cut content and that missing release date". Eurogamer.net. 2016-12-09. Retrieved 2023-01-24.
  10. ↑ "NetEase Games establishes new studio Worlds Untold led by Mass Effect series writer Mac Walters". Gematsu. 2023-11-16. Retrieved 2023-11-17.
  11. ↑ YIN-POOLE, WESLEY (2023-11-16). "Mass Effect Writer Mac Walters Founds New Studio, Worlds Untold". IGN. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
  12. ↑ Andy Chalk (2023-11-16). "Mass Effect veteran Mac Walters is heading up a new studio with NetEase". PC Gamer. Retrieved 2024-03-01.
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