Dragon Age and Mass Effect actor Alix Wilton Regan delivers emotional tribute to BioWare

Alix Wilton Regan has paid tribute to BioWare, the studio that gave her some of her most iconic roles.

The actor, who is playing Lara Croft in the upcoming Tomb Raider games, delivered a eulogy while presenting the Golden Joystick Awards, paying tribute to the developers who lost their jobs when EA closed the studio last month.

“Before we start the celebrations tonight, we need to acknowledge how tough things are across our industry,” Wilton Regan opened. “Behind every game are talented, passionate people who have spent years bringing these worlds to life. And right now, too many of them are losing their jobs and their studios.

“The recent closure of BioWare is particularly personal to me. They gave me my two video game roles in Dragon Age: Origins and Mass Effect 3, and helped set me on the path that brings me here tonight as your host.

“Losing BioWare broke my heart, and I know it broke many of yours too. So many of us watching here tonight stand on their extraordinary shoulders, so let’s give them a big round of applause.”

Wilton Regan first worked with BioWare for Dragon Age: Origins, where she played various roles, including the antagonist Ser Cauthrien. She then played a full romance option in Mass Effect 3, Samantha Traynor, who was notable for being the first romanceable lesbian character in the Mass Effect series.

Then, Wilton Regan provided one of the possible voices for the Inquisitor – the player character in Dragon Age: Inquisition – a role she reprised in Dragon Age: The Veilguard.

Over the years, she has been a vocal supporter of BioWare and often attends fan conventions to represent the roles she played in its games. She is joined by other BioWare actors in this, particularly Commander Shepard actors Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale.

Now, the future of these games remains uncertain. Fans are campaigning for EA to do something with the Mass Effect IP, whereas studio co-founder Trent Oster has indicated that he would like to get the IPs back.