Bioware founders leaving the company?

Sounds like it could be good news. Them founding another studio would be interesting. Plus if other people were let go, they can have their pick of staff too!
 
Hope this rumor is true. Would be eager to see what these guys would do free of EA.
 
I always wonder about this kind of thing. Like, do they know their recent releases suck (DA2, SWTOR)? And WHY they're bad? And why their older games (Baldur's Gate, etc) were so good? Are they aware of their slide into mediocrity? Or are they far too removed to know the "pulse of the gamer" to notice? Too many games at once, with EA calling the shots, seems to be their downfall.
 
Wrecklusive said:
I always wonder about this kind of thing. Like, do they know their recent releases suck (DA2, SWTOR)? And WHY they're bad? And why their older games (Baldur's Gate, etc) were so good? Are they aware of their slide into mediocrity? Or are they far too removed to know the "pulse of the gamer" to notice? Too many games at once, with EA calling the shots, seems to be their downfall.
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I almost feel sorry for them. DA2 blew -- canceled DLC. SWTOR fell way short of expectations -- going free this fall. ME3 was well received generally by fans and critics, but BioWare apparently had to rearrange its DLC schedule to fit in the Extended Cut. Even then, I think it's pretty fair to say that ME3 was a letdown considering the amount of hype it had. BioWare is a sinking ship right now.

Hopefully EA folds up the BW tent soon so this whole charade can finally be over.
 
Q-BZ said:
What if they left to go back on their own and start something new?
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It would depend on if they self-publish or partner with someone like Activison or Ubisoft. The first would mean we could possibly see something like the old Bioware but the latter would probably be no different than today.
 
They are probably aware that they have become highly criticized. Look at the current controversy as to how focused companies have become on metacritic scores, to the point that their salaries/bonuses count on it.
 
video-game-memes-papea-kills-off-developers.jpg


The next morning is spent standing in front of a bathroom mirror, trying to imitate crying.

(The image is NOT original by me. I don't know who made it.)
 
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I normally would support something like the two of them forming a new company but I can't help but to be cynical and say that they both should of known better than to allow the company to be sold to EA. I don't know how the company was sold, but who's to say that they won't start a new company to just get bought out again? Bioware at one point was a company that made games for gamers without profit being the primary motivation. EA is the exact opposite of that.
 
bigdogchris said:
Bioware at one point was a company that made games for gamers without profit being the primary motivation.
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No, you got that completely wrong. Bioware used to be a company that made the very best game they could, game play and graphically, banking on that making them a profit to make the next great game. In other words if we make it great they will come.

New Bioware pieces projects together in chunks to maximize DLC schedules. I don't see a difference in their relationship with EA as Blizzard's relationship with Activision. Both are sellouts simple and plain.
 
Maybe they'd join up with some other independent devs? inXile? Obsidian? Maybe even on a project basis? What are the specific talents these guys have, something more where they can work in the trenches? Actually it would be quite interesting to see them work with Bethseda focusing on and plot characters.

Or... maybe just kick back and make mobile apps and social games. or .... an MMO "the way it should have been done." LOL
 
This is kinda old news and yeah it's very likely to be be true. I've posted a few threads on this situation already. Inbetween Dragons age II and Mass Effect 3 the original Bioware ceased to exist. EA came in and took control. I don't mean metaphorically I mean literally a management team was sent over from EA and all the development team members were split up and sent to various projects. It was all pretty deranged. Campaign and story designers for Dragons Age were sent to do Mass Effect 3 Multiplayer maps packs it was all over the place. Since all this has gone down I think between 8-30 founding members have left. I think it's all hush-hush for now but a few people have come out about the situation in interviews.

Back to the Bioware not existing anymore apparently very few Bioware people had anything to do with SWTOR at all. It was just labeled a bioware game to generate hype. I'm sort of beginning to wonder when False advertizing claims are going to get leveled against the bigger companies. I mean you buy a product on good faith thinking it's being made by a developer you trust and get the rug pulled out from under you. Doesn't really seem fair.

Bioware is the new Infinity Ward
 
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Starting something new is most likely what they are doing. Thats how it rolls, you found a company do what it can sell it for a major cash out, then go found another company and hope to do it again. its called serial start ups.
 
bigdogchris said:
I normally would support something like the two of them forming a new company but I can't help but to be cynical and say that they both should of known better than to allow the company to be sold to EA. I don't know how the company was sold, but who's to say that they won't start a new company to just get bought out again? Bioware at one point was a company that made games for gamers without profit being the primary motivation. EA is the exact opposite of that.
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EA bought Bioware because of Riccitiello. Riccitiello formed Elevation Partners after he left EA and they ended up being the parent company of Bioware Pandemic. When Riccitiello went back to EA with the intention of turning everything around for the company he had EA buy Bioware Pandemic. If I remember correctly in early interviews about the purchase Bioware had been promised some freedom to run things as they always have and both founders were put in high level positions in EA (Muyzka was a VP or something like that at one point). Dragon Age Origins was also part of the deal, as it never had found a publisher.
 
eloj said:
video-game-memes-papea-kills-off-developers.jpg


The next morning is spent standing in front of a bathroom mirror, trying to imitate crying.
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hahahahaha you brought an honest to goodness chuckle to both me and my wife from that... :) thanks lol
 
eloj said:
video-game-memes-papea-kills-off-developers.jpg


The next morning is spent standing in front of a bathroom mirror, trying to imitate crying.

(The image is NOT original by me. I don't know who made it.)
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Rofl, I died. Maxis..LOL.
 
Those pictures say it all.

Like I said to someone else on the first page: The Bioware we all knew and loved has been gone for a while anyways even if they're not "officially" dead.
 
Those two willingly sold themselves to EA. Let's not pretend it was some sort of indentured servitude.
 
eloj said:
video-game-memes-papea-kills-off-developers.jpg


The next morning is spent standing in front of a bathroom mirror, trying to imitate crying.

(The image is NOT original by me. I don't know who made it.)
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This must have been made some years ago.
 
First of all, Bioware isn't "Bioware" anymore. When EA bought them they became several Bioware studios and EA pimped the name out. Second of all, the problem with Mass Effect 3's ending had basically everything to do with trying to go way out there with some deus ex machina. The ending was garbage but they wouldn't admit it and the "fix" didn't fix anything, it just made everything glow more and explained it better but doesn't fix a bad ending. Lastly, EA is a corporation on the stock exchange and with that means they have to pander to majority (to make short term profits) instead of making something with quality. At the same time making games like DA:O in 7 years (admittedly a bit too long but still) as opposed to the 2 years they put into DA2 which shows as being a terrible money grab.

Anyway, Mass Effect 3 was an amazing game with a 4/10 ending. But the Bioware that made DAO, ME1,2,3, Baldur's Gate, Jade Empire was the Edmonton Branch and not the other studios re-branded for that purpose.

I really wish more game companies were like CD Projekt Red/Valve/Bungie (Hopefully they retain their respect after joining up with activision) that have respect for their customers.
 
I have family in the company. Dragon Age: Origins was not expected to be a success. They thought that the days of PC gaming were over and they invested 7 years into DAO and never thought it would be a hit as it turned out to be.

When that happened, and it coincided with EA's takeover (near the end of DAO development), EA mandated they push out a sequel...they gave them 7 months. That is why DA2 sucks.

SWTOR had very little to do with the original Bioware (Edmonton). It was all made by a different EA Studio that they slapped the Bioware name onto (Bioware Austin). While SWTOR was in development, the guy that actually was an important project manager on KOTOR was working on ME3.
 
Spare-Flair said:
I have family in the company.
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That's cool. :)


Dragon Age: Origins was not expected to be a success. They thought that the days of PC gaming were over
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And what in the hell did anyone base this concept on?


and they invested 7 years into DAO and never thought it would be a hit as it turned out to be.
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It's a quality title.

Good games sell. Imagine that. ;)



When that happened, and it coincided with EA's takeover (near the end of DAO development), EA mandated they push out a sequel...they gave them 7 months. That is why DA2 sucks.
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Very likely.


SWTOR had very little to do with the original Bioware (Edmonton). It was all made by a different EA Studio that they slapped the Bioware name onto (Bioware Austin). While SWTOR was in development, the guy that actually was an important project manager on KOTOR was working on ME3.
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Good info. Explains a lot.

So what's going on with the original Bioware people? Are they spread out? Mostly gone?

What's the deal?
 
Q-BZ said:
That's cool. :)




And what in the hell did anyone base this concept on?




It's a quality title.

Good games sell. Imagine that. ;)





Very likely.




Good info. Explains a lot.

So what's going on with the original Bioware people? Are they spread out? Mostly gone?

What's the deal?
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I can tell you that Drew Karpyshyn was the obvious real talent behind Mass Effect's story and he didn't have anything to do with how ME3 ended. It's pretty clear in the game where his involvement petered out. And the fourth novel they had to change is also sub-par compared to the ones he wrote. Evidently he was moved to the SWOTOR team in Austin and punched the eject button leaving BioWare for good.
 
SicKlown42012 said:
It would depend on if they self-publish or partner with someone like Activison or Ubisoft. The first would mean we could possibly see something like the old Bioware but the latter would probably be no different than today.
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No, please no...lol.

Activison/Blizzard, although owned by Vivendi (for now) is still led by Bobby Kotick. He is the CEO of the combined company, and nothing good comes out of whatever he touches.

His own words...

Kotick noted that in the past he changed the employee incentive program so that it "really rewards profit and nothing else." He continued, "You have studio heads who five years ago didn't know the difference between a balance sheet and a bed sheet who are now arguing allocations in our CFO's office pretty regularly. ... We have a real culture of thrift. The goal that I had in bringing a lot of the packaged goods folks into Activision about 10 years ago was to take all the fun out of making video games."

Nuff said.
 
Just finished my 5th or 6th full replay of DA:O. Good god, I would love if the founders started up a new studio and concentrated on making games like that again. Even the DLC, Awakening, I think it is (I'm terrible with names), that wasn't that well received, is 10x better than anything in DA2.

I can't believe they put out that abortion that is DA2. Dont' get me wrong, I actually enjoyed some things about the game and have about 50 hours in it, believe it or not. If it wasn't released as a Dragon Age game, it would have been OK. But why in the world wouldn't they have made a true sequel to DA:O?

They set up an amazing plot for the sequel at the end with Morrigan. DA2 should have been you making a choice - stay with Morrigan and it's the 2 of you vs the world as you try to bring back the old god. Or you have to rally the troops yet again and try to stop the old god from coming back. There would even be a nice opportunity for a bit of a twist later on in the game. The old god, coming into it's power, realizes Morrigan has it shackled for her own uses, and offers a deal directly with you if you help it take her out.

Ok, enough rambling. It's just always such a disappointment when you see absolute greatness in reach (what DA2 COULD have been, what ME3 COULD have been) and they shit themselves instead. :(
 
CrimsonKnight13 said:
Here's to hoping that this turns out for the best. A brand new IP that brings back the old school RPG style.
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No. Chance. At least with Bioware. Since EA got their hands on Bioware the only march is toward the toilet.

If the ex-employees start up another studio, then maybe.
 
he'll still be working at EA in some capacity, so far no clue given as to what.
 
FLCLimax said:
he'll still be working at EA in some capacity, so far no clue given as to what.
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And this would explain my confusion. Leaving the studio but still being a part of EA. Blah... nevermind my thoughts about anything new & fun.
 
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