Brothels

I would say that BioWare games sort of became more and more like dating sims over time and this attracted a specific crowd. My guess is that many old school fans who liked the grim dark vibe didn't really care all that much about the romances so BioWare lost them with DAI. They moved on and the fanbase has changed since. That's just my impression. Obviously there are still plenty of DA fans left who enjoyed all 3 games, myself included. But DAI already had me worried about where all this diversity and inclusion would lead when they try to cater to everyone, especially with the romances. It just becomes this huge annoying time sink thing when you want to do right by everyone. Which is why Obsidian doesn't do romances. It's just a huge mess in this day and age trying to offer everyone proper representation. Which BioWare probably realized and went for pansexual. Just too much work otherwise taking away from other areas of the game that should be more important.

This might sound sexist but it seems like BioWare became more and more popular among female gamers especially because of the romances. Women overall like different games and things in games than men is my impression. When I look at my game library and compare it to those of my male friends it just vastly different. Even when they're also huge RPG fans. So I would throw out this highly speculative opinion that BioWare caters mostly to women and gay people now. Which is fine. They can do whatever they want. That audience gets to enjoy romances that many other games don't offer. But it's a different audience form the one that liked DAO and has grown largely alienated since. And that's why there is so much negativity and contempt for DAV from certain DAO fans. They want old BioWare back. So do I for that matter but I still liked DAI a lot. I have long since accepted that old BioWare is dead and that New BioWare is going in a different direction. One that I am extremely wary of but I'll give DAV a chance at least. If only to confirm my worst fears. I just gotta know.

Blackwall is the only romanceable companion in Dragon Age games that I find genuinely attractive.

What made me become obsessed with Bioware was that when I found them in 2016 they were my first experience having a game that recognized I was *a woman* and that I could fall in love while saving the world. Or trying to keep the family together, ala DA2. The only other experience I'd had where my gender mattered was what men I could marry in Harvestmoon.

It legit changed me and my standards for games.