Composer Jack Wall has explained why he didn’t return for Mass Effect 3, after creating the beloved music for the first two games in the series.
Wall collaborated with developer BioWare to craft the 80s sci-fi-inspired soundtracks for Mass Effect, released in 2007, and its sequel, 2010’s Mass Effect 2. Mass Effect 2 is frequently hailed as one of the greatest action role-playing games of all time, and Wall’s score—featuring the epic ‘Suicide Mission’—is regarded by fans as a series highlight.
Yet Wall did not return for 2012’s Mass Effect 3, a decision that surprised many fans. In a recent interview with The Guardian, Wall revealed the reason, citing a rift with then-Mass Effect development lead Casey Hudson.
“Casey wasn’t particularly happy with me at the end,” Wall said. “But I’m so proud of that score. It got a Bafta nomination and performed incredibly well… even if it didn’t meet exactly what Casey had hoped for.”
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The Guardian hinted at “creative tension” between Wall and Hudson, but Wall kept his comments general. “Fallouts like that happen—it’s just part of the job,” he added. “It’s one of the few times in my career something like this occurred, and it was a difficult period, but it is what it is.”
Wall did, however, offer more insight into the challenges he and BioWare faced in delivering Mass Effect 2 and finalizing the Suicide Mission sequence, which may shed light on the state of his relationship with Hudson near the project’s end.
“It was the biggest mind-f***ing thing I’ve ever done in my entire life,” Wall said. “And there was no one available to guide me through it, because everyone was freaking out trying to finish the game. I handed it in, and they had to do a lot of tweaking on their end to make it work—but they did it… and the result is still one of the best ending sequences I’ve ever experienced in a game. It was worth every ounce of effort.”
After Mass Effect 2, Wall moved on to compose for the Call of Duty series, most recently scoring Black Ops 6. BioWare, meanwhile, is currently developing the next Mass Effect game following the release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard. BioWare has not yet announced a composer.
