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Tag: Reassurance
Anthony Davis understands upset Mavs fans, eyes reassurance
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Tim MacMahon
DALLAS — For the first time in his career, Anthony Davis‘ arrival to a franchise hasn’t resulted in celebrations in the city.
In Dallas, the deal that brought the 10-time All-Star to the Mavericks has resulted in heartbreak and anger. Days later, the fan base remains in shocked disbelief that 25-year-old superstar Luka Doncic got blindsided by the blockbuster deal only months after he led the Mavericks to the NBA Finals.
“I understand it,” Davis said Friday regarding the fans’ outrage. “Obviously it’s a business, and I get who Luka was to this franchise, to the city. I’m never going to downplay that — just how I know what I meant to the city of L.A. So I’m not surprised by the fans’ reaction and the city’s reaction, but it’s my job to come in and play basketball and do what I’m supposed to do and give the fans hope and reassurance on why [GM] Nico [Harrison] brought me here.”
A protest is planned outside the American Airlines Center before Davis makes his Mavericks debut in Saturday afternoon’s home game against the Houston Rockets. Billboards criticizing Harrison and the team’s new ownership group are planned around the arena after a GoFundMe account raised more than $40,000.
“I don’t know how tomorrow’s going to be as far as the reaction, but I can’t control that,” Davis said. “What I can control, it’s going and just winning basketball games and helping the team do whatever I can. But at the end of the day, I’m going to give the city life back.”
Harrison, who has accepted sole responsibility for the decision to trade Doncic, did not participate in the Friday news conference to introduce Davis along with Max Christie and forward Caleb Martin, who was acquired in a separate trade.
The general manager cited a desire to upgrade Dallas’ defense and enhance the Mavericks’ culture as among the reasons he made the trade when he met with a smaller group of media Sunday, hours after the deal was done.
Sources told ESPN that there will be an increased security presence at the American Airlines Center on Saturday due to threats received by Harrison, some of which have included racial epithets. Harrison has also employed personal security in the aftermath of the trade, sources said.
Harrison managed to keep his discussions with Los Angeles Lakers general manager Rob Pelinka private before agreeing to the deal and did not negotiate with other teams. After determining that it was in Dallas’ best interest to trade Doncic, Harrison targeted Davis as the headliner of the return package.
A longtime Nike executive before being hired as the Mavericks’ general manager in 2021, Harrison has had a close relationship with Davis since the star was a teenager. Mavericks coach Jason Kidd, who was a Lakers assistant coach when Davis helped lead Los Angeles to the 2019-20 championship, also has a strong bond with the big man.
“Obviously, I understand who Luka is and what he’s able to do and what he’s already done for our game,” said Davis, a five-time All-Defensive selection who is averaging 25.7 points, 11.9 rebounds and 2.1 blocks per game this season. “He’s a phenomenal player, going to be one of the best to ever play the game of basketball.
“But to have Nico trade for me just shows his belief in me and what I can do on the floor. It’s my job to produce every night and have Mavs nation believe that as well. So I’m excited for the challenge.”
Anthony Davis, the star player for the Los Angeles Lakers, recently spoke out about the frustration and disappointment felt by Dallas Mavericks fans after a controversial call in a recent game. Davis expressed his understanding of their feelings and acknowledged the impact that such moments can have on the game.In a gesture of reassurance, Davis emphasized the importance of fair play and integrity in basketball. He noted that while calls may not always go the way fans hope, it is essential to respect the game and its officials.
As the Lakers gear up for their next game, Davis is determined to bring his best to the court and show fans that the game is ultimately about sportsmanship and competition. He hopes to inspire confidence and trust in the game, even in the face of challenging moments.
With his understanding of the emotions at play and his commitment to the sport, Anthony Davis is poised to continue making an impact on and off the court.
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As Dragon Age Fans Fear the Death of the Series, One Former BioWare Developer Offers Words of Reassurance: ‘Dragon Age Isn’t Dead Because It’s Yours Now’
Following layoffs at BioWare that saw the exit of many key developers of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, one former writer on the series has moved to reassure fans by saying: “DA isn’t dead because it’s yours now.”
This week, EA restructured BioWare to focus on Mass Effect 5 only. Some who worked on Dragon Age: The Veilguard were moved to projects at other EA studios (Game Developer reported that John Epler, Veilguard’s creative director, was sent to work on Full Circle’s upcoming skateboarding game Skate). Others, however, revealed they were laid off and were now seeking work.
The decision followed EA’s announcement that Dragon Age: The Veilguard had underperformed on its expectations for the long-awaited action RPG. EA said Dragon Age “engaged” 1.5 million players during its recent financial quarter, which was down nearly 50% from the company’s projections.
Notably, EA did not say the 1.5 million number was unit sales (Dragon Age: The Veilguard was also available as a part of EA’s Play Pro subscription service). Additionally, it’s not clear whether EA is counting a free trial of the game that was available through the cheaper EA Play subscription in the 1.5 million number either.
Either way, EA’s announcement, its restructure of BioWare, and confirmation of layoffs have combined to create the sense within the Dragon Age fandom that the series is pretty much dead. There is no DLC planned for The Veilguard, and BioWare’s work on the game came to an end last week with what sounded like its last major update.
But Dragon Age: The Veilguard senior writer Sheryl Chee, who was moved from BioWare to work on Iron Man at Motive, took to social media to offer words of hope.
“I’m now with Motive,” Chee began. “It’s been a hard two years seeing my team get chipped away and having to still keep going. But I’m still employed, so there’s that.”
Then, in response to a fan who lamented the death of Dragon Age, Chee replied to say the series now belongs to the fans who will keep it alive with their own contributions.
“So a cool French woman dropped a cool quote from Camus on me today: ‘In the midst of winter, I found there was, within me, an invincible summer.’ (I mean, who does resistance like the French, right?) We’re going through it right now. It’s a lot, everywhere…
“But DA isn’t dead. There’s fic. There’s art. There’s the connections we made through the games and because of the games. Technically EA/BioWare owns the IP but you can’t own an idea, no matter how much they want to.
“DA isn’t dead because it’s yours now.”
Then: “So someone just reposted my thing saying they’ll write a giant AU and that’s what I’m talking about. If DA has inspired you to do something, if it sparks that Invincible summer, then it’s done it’s job, and it has been my greatest honor to have been a part of that.”
Dragon Age began life with 2010’s Dragon Age: Origins, which was followed up just a year later by Dragon Age 2. Dragon Age: Inquisition released three years later, in 2014. But it took a decade for the latest sequel, Dragon Age: The Veilguard, to come out.
In September, former Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah, who left BioWare in 2020, revealed that Dragon Age Inquisition had sold over 12 million copies, and “massively” oversold EA’s internal projections for the game.
EA has yet to outright say Dragon Age is dead, but it’s hard to see a new game in the series any time soon, if ever, given what’s happened to BioWare itself and the full focus on Mass Effect 5. As for Mass Effect, EA said a “core team” at BioWare is developing the next Mass Effect game under the leadership of veterans from the original trilogy, including Mike Gamble, Preston Watamaniuk, Derek Watts, Parrish Ley, and others. “While we’re not sharing numbers, the studio has the right number of people in the right roles to work on Mass Effect at this stage of development,” EA told IGN.
Wesley is the UK News Editor for IGN. Find him on Twitter at @wyp100. You can reach Wesley at wesley_yinpoole@ign.com or confidentially at wyp100@proton.me.
As Dragon Age Fans Fear the Death of the Series, One Former BioWare Developer Offers Words of Reassurance: ‘Dragon Age Isn’t Dead Because It’s Yours Now’In recent years, Dragon Age fans have expressed growing concerns about the future of the beloved RPG series. With BioWare’s focus shifting to other projects and the lack of concrete updates on the next installment, many feared that Dragon Age may be on the brink of death.
However, one former BioWare developer has stepped forward to offer words of reassurance to anxious fans. In a recent interview, the developer, who worked on previous Dragon Age titles, emphasized that the series is far from dead.
“Dragon Age isn’t dead because it’s yours now,” the developer stated. “The beauty of a series like Dragon Age is that it belongs to the fans just as much as it does to the developers. Your love and passion for the world and characters are what keep it alive.”
The developer went on to urge fans to continue supporting the series, whether through fan art, fan fiction, or simply by spreading the word about the games. They also hinted at exciting developments on the horizon for Dragon Age, assuring fans that there is still plenty to look forward to.
So, for all the Dragon Age fans out there feeling anxious about the future of the series, take heart. Dragon Age isn’t dead – it’s simply evolving, with the help of its dedicated fanbase. As long as fans continue to show their love and support for the series, there’s no limit to where the world of Thedas can go.
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Dragon Age, Dragon Age series, Dragon Age fans, BioWare developer, Dragon Age reassurance, Dragon Age community, Dragon Age future, Dragon Age franchise, Dragon Age development, Dragon Age updates, Dragon Age news
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