Composer Jack Wall, known for crafting the iconic soundtracks for the first two Mass Effect games, recently opened up about why he didn't return for Mass Effect 3. In an interview with The Guardian, Wall attributed his absence to a falling out with Casey Hudson, the then-development chief at BioWare.
Wall's journey with BioWare began with the original Mass Effect in 2007, where he infused the game with an 80s sci-fi flair. His work continued with Mass Effect 2 in 2010, a game widely regarded as one of the best action RPGs ever created. The soundtrack for Mass Effect 2, particularly the track 'Suicide Mission,' is often celebrated as a pinnacle of the series by fans. Despite the acclaim, Wall's relationship with Hudson soured by the project's end.
"Casey was not particularly happy with me at the end," Wall admitted. "But I’m so proud of that score. It got nominated for a Bafta, and it did really well … [even if] it didn’t go as well as Casey wanted." While The Guardian hinted at "creative tension" between the two, Wall remained somewhat vague, stating, "Fallouts like that happen, it’s just part of the deal. It’s one of the few times in my career that’s happened, and it was a tough time, but it is what it is."
Wall also shed light on the immense challenges faced during the development of Mass Effect 2, especially with the 'Suicide Mission' sequence. "It was the biggest mind-f***ing thing I’ve ever done in my entire life," he recounted. "And there was no one available to walk me through it, because they were all freaking out trying to finish the game. I handed it in, and they had to do a lot of massaging on their end in order to get it to work, but they did it... and the result is still one of the best ending sequences to a game that I’ve ever played. It was worth all that effort."
Following his departure from the Mass Effect series, Wall moved on to compose for the Call of Duty franchise, with his most recent work being the soundtrack for Black Ops 6. Meanwhile, BioWare is currently developing the next installment in the Mass Effect series after the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, though the composer for the upcoming game has yet to be announced.
The Best BioWare RPGs
Pick a winner
New duel
1ST
2ND
3RDSee your ResultsFinish playing for your personal results or see the community’s!Continue playingSee results
