Summary
- Greg Zeschuk regrets releasing Jade Empire for the original Xbox at the end of its cycle, hindering its success.
- Plans for a Jade Empire sequel were canceled after it was in development, with BioWare shifting focus to Mass Effect.
- BioWare’s current focus is on Mass Effect, making a Jade Empire sequel less likely despite fan hopes.
BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk has recently revealed that his biggest regret regarding Jade Empire was releasing it for the original Xbox at the end of its cycle. Jade Empire is one of BioWare’s lesser-known games, as the title never received a sequel.
Jade Empire was launched for the original Xbox in 2005, gaining later releases for PC in 2007 and mobile in 2016. In a world inspired by Chinese mythology, Jade Empire puts the player as the last surviving Spirit Monk who goes on a quest to save their tutor, facing the forces of darkness during the journey. Despite often being considered among the best games made by BioWare, Jade Empire never received a sequel, and a recent interview with Zeschuk may help gamers to understand why.
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In a recent interview with the My Perfect Console podcast, Greg Zeschuk revealed that he believes the main reason why the game failed to get traction was because it was released at the end of the original Xbox’s cycle. According to Zeschuk, “Microsoft was like ‘no no, you should release it now, right at the end of the cycle, because it’s a great time’… it was the worst advice.” Had BioWare waited for the launch of the Xbox 360, which was much more successful than its predecessor, Jade Empire could have been a bigger hit, attracting a larger fanbase.
BioWare Co-Founder Regrets Releasing Jade Empire for the Original Xbox
Microsoft was like ‘no no, you should release it now, right at the end of the cycle, because it’s a great time’… it was the worst advice
Rumors about a Jade Empire sequel have appeared from time to time after the game’s release. In 2019, for example, EA filed a trademark for Jade Empire, which hyped fans for a possible sequel that did not happen.
In 2021, former BioWare developer Mark Darrah revealed that Jade Empire 2 was canceled after being in development. Development originally started soon after the first game was released, and would be set a few decades after the original title. However, BioWare made big changes at the time and focused more on Mass Effect, which effectively killed the project.
Over the years, fans kept hoping for a Jade Empire sequel, but it does not seem very likely anymore. After the recent Dragon Age: The Veilguard underperformed EA’s expectations, BioWare suffered layoffs and some people were sent to other studios. What’s left of the studio is currently entirely focused on the upcoming Mass Effect, which does not have an official release date yet.
- Released
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April 12, 2005
- ESRB
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M For Mature 17+ due to Blood and Gore, Intense Violence, Mild Language, Suggestive Themes