BioWare - BioDoc Rumours

figment said:

I had only the highest respect for the good doctors when BG1 was released. Ray occasionally posted to the usenet csipg.rpg group at a time when that was never done at least as far as I was aware. They made a couple of great games but time has passed and the inspiration has also passed I think.

I'm not sure I care what they do but maybe the best thing would be for them to leave EA and start up a new company. Perhaps their souls will be filled again after having EA suck it dry and they can inspire some designers to make something cool the RPG lovers of the world.

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I had never even heard of Bioware when BG1 was released.

The first Bioware game I tried was Dragon Age: Origins, which was a lot of fun, and I liked the Awakenings expansion. Mass Effect 2 was OK, but a little too linear, too much hallway-cutscene-hallway-cutscene for my tastes. I can't speak to The Old Republic, as I only tried the beta for a few hours. Mass Effect 3 seemed to be a much better game than ME2 in many ways. The level design was much more interesting and improvements to the dialogue and reputation system made it feel a bit more like an RPG than ME2. Dragon Age 2 on the other hand, had some huge flaws, and suffered a lot from a very short production schedule.

Perhaps Doctors did not do the best possible job producing their massive MMO project, and perhaps they have stumbled a bit in their PR approach to dealing with fan complaints. However it's not quite accurate to characterize them as being "in over their heads." Since the time of their acquisition by EA, they successfully developed and brought to market several high profile games with large budgets. That in itself is a significant accomplishment. On top of that some of those games have been commercially successful. I highly doubt there is any other executive at EA that would have done a better job with the games they've produced in the past few years.

Myrkrel said:

Hmm might be a good thing, if they go and form a new independent studio and get back to making good RPGs again - without the pressure of EA wanting everything to be a huge mass-market console title. One can dream…

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Yep...one could dream.

I mean they got lots and lots of money from EA deal. I think they should have folded at that point.

But the question is : do they still have wish and passion to do non commercial games ?

Twotricks said:

But the question is : do they still have wish and passion to do non commercial games ?

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When did they ever do non-commercial games?

Their first few projects, Shattered Steel, Baldur's Gate, MDK, these were all developed and published with a primary goal of making money.

If true:

They probably just bailed before the name was entirely tarnished. They're clearly not up to date on their own image - so it's going to be too late.

I think this is them finally realising that their once fine company is now pretty much beyond saving (it would be too much of a hassle to turn the ship around now) - so they might think they can point back to this as them not being responsible for what Bioware will end up becoming in the eye of the public.

But they are responsible. That said, it's not uncommon - and it's what happens to all companies that grow too big for their own good.

Blizzard is experiencing the same thing right now.

It always starts with ever more profit - and it might even continue with ever more profit for many, many years - but the downfall is almost inevitable once you completely sell out your creative integrity.

Small update: Zeschuks job as General Manager of BioWare Austin ended in May. Says his LinkedIn profile.

Are the BioDocs not VicePresident in EA?

It could also be that they decided to take charge of the studio in Edmonton and run the studio there?

I don't understand how many companies are willing to bet on MMOs. They are very, very expensive to produce and very few succeed. Looks like an insane risk to me.

Raggie said:

I don't understand how many companies are willing to bet on MMOs. They are very, very expensive to produce and very few succeed. Looks like an insane risk to me.

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the big pot of gold that Blizzard gets is just too tempting a target. They think 'if we can only get 10% of that, we'll score!'.

Maybe we'll see a Baldur's Gate 3 kickstarter from the doctors in 1 year or so

wolfing said:

Maybe we'll see a Baldur's Gate 3 kickstarter from the doctors in 1 year or so

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I doubt it. If they wanted anything like that, they would not push BioWare in this direction. EA certainly helped, but BioWare's direction was already set before. I would not be surprised if the doctors just bailed out, hoping EA will get all the blame.

That's what happens when you make a dEAl with the dEAvil, BioWare. RIP.

Couchpotato said:

Well if true I see it as Karma. Look at there history from the beginning to now. A sad shell of the company that fell far from the ideals of its creation. Just watch the youtube video I posted on a previous topic.

What the hell here you go again. I will post the link since the video explains what is happening. The docs are just middle management on the EA ladder.

Link-http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=A6TmTv6deTI&feature=player_embedded

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Great link. The music from BG2 at the beginning makes me want to pretend to be sick and run home and play it! Music really does make a game.

I think this has been way over-interpreted. I'd bet my left testicle that the docs are still alive and well in BioWare Edmonton and Montreal, still earning 7 figure remuneration, and still thinking about how to streamline the next DA.

This story is a SWTOR story. That ship officially sank a few days ago when EA told investors that the project was a failure - in as many words. And now the studio is reverting to EA.

BioWare will die because it has turned away from everything that defined it ... just not today.

Personally, I hope Bioware does officially die. To me, it's been dead for a long time. What we've had for years now is zombie Bioware shambling about spouting corporate platitudes and buzzwords, instead of "Braaaiiiins!" At first, it was shocking. Now, I'm just ready to knock my former loved one's head off with a shovel.

Couldn't it be argued that SW:TOR failed because wouldn't allow Bioware to do anything else than a normal MMO? instead of what their original vision was? And as such EA is at least partly to blame?

Greg and Ray probably own a piece of EA, because usually when a large company is bought by another, the sellers are paid in both cash and shares. So whatever happens, they'll be comfortable.

I doubt the Edmonton office is going to be closed either because Dragon Turd and Mass Effect still sell a lot. Our dear friends Gaider and Hamburger will be safe.

It's the TOR people who will be unemployed soon because it's unlikely that EA will attempt to make another MMORPG after such a gigantic failure.

Gaxkang said:

This story is a SWTOR story. That ship officially sank a few days ago when EA told investors that the project was a failure - in as many words. And now the studio is reverting to EA.

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That's my guess, too.

kasp said:

Greg and Ray probably own a piece of EA, because usually when a large company is bought by another, the sellers are paid in both cash and shares. So whatever happens, they'll be comfortable.

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They didn't own BioWare anymore at the time it was sold. It was owned by Elevation Partners, U2 fronter Bono amongst them.

kasp said:

after such a gigantic failure

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It's like broken phone. Just two days ago I read that SWTOR was moderate success and now it's GIGANTIC FAILURE. Two days ago Bioware was one of the most successful companies and now everyone talking like it will be closed tomorrow.

figliar said:

It's like broken phone. Just two days ago I read that SWTOR was moderate success and now it's GIGANTIC FAILURE. Two days ago Bioware was one of the most successful companies and now everyone talking like it will be closed tomorrow.

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Of course. WAR IS PEACE, FREEDOM IS SLAVERY, and IGNORANCE IS STRENGTH!

Ah yes, it's all about doublethinking. Now it makes perfect sense.