RIP Bioware

[Firewind]

Well we all knew it was coming but it's still sad when the founding members of a studio that developed games I had fond childhood memories of decide to quit; but lets be frank here, the studio hasn't been the same since EA took over and to be honest, it was only a matter of time before the studio heads put the final nails into the coffin and quit.

From Greg Zeschuk | BioWare Blog
From Ray Muzyka | BioWare Blog
From Aaryn Flynn | BioWare Blog

Well it was fun while it lasted but I guess they're officially just another EA studio now.

[cidbahamut]

Re: RIP Bioware

Well it was fun while it lasted but I guess they're officially just another EA studio now.

They made the jump back with Dragon Age:Origins as far as I'm concerned. This is just confirmation of sorts. You don't build up a company from scratch, pour your heart and soul into it for over a decade and then just up and quit unless something significantly changed.

[Firewind]

Re: RIP Bioware

More or less. I enjoyed Dragon Age: Origins but it was the first game that clearly had EA's fingermarks all over it.

Oh well, might as well enjoy free Star Wars while I can.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: RIP Bioware

As i understand it, Bioware and Pandemic were both owned by a firm known as Elevation Partners, which they joined under the premise of remaining independent except the owner of Elevation Partners decided they would sell them both to EA. Bioware and Pandemic were now apparently OK with this, too.

This is the managing director and c0-fouder of Elevation Partners:



From there EA was just EA about things and destroyed both. Bono probably got the best part of this whole deal.

So yes, the frontman from one of my favorite bands had a hand in destroying one of your favorite developers

[Aeni]

Re: RIP Bioware

That second picture could be a Kefka cosplay with a bit more flourish and makeup.

[Etra]

Re: RIP Bioware

So yes, the frontman from one of my favorite bands had a hand in destroying one of your favorite developers

I'm sorry for your taste in music.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: RIP Bioware

I'm sorry for your taste in music.

You should really just be sorry for that pathetic attempt at being clever.

[Etra]

Re: RIP Bioware

You should really just be sorry for that pathetic attempt at being clever.

You should feel sorry for falling into my trolls.

[Balfree]

Re: RIP Bioware

This is pretty much the one thing I REALLY didn't want to see happening in the gaming industry.

Here's my reaction:

NOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO!

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: RIP Bioware

Meh, I really don't feel much for Bioware. How I've come to see it is a part of the western RPG market built itself on the backs of Black Isle and that studio, along with its remnants, have always had the glory stolen from them in one way or another.

Bioware built its name on their early collaborations with BI, but the second they started getting bigger publishing deals a good deal of what made those games great was already gone. KOTOR was the earliest example. Morality became a dichotomy since that was so thematically cool for Star Wars. A robust world to explore became a series of linear corridors with the rare dungeon. More and more, story and the chocolate/vanilla choices took precedence over gameplay and the choice championed so much never really found its way into gameplay scenarios.

Sure, the scenarios we got were wonderfully scripted and dramatic, but aside from class-flavoring, not on-the-spot choice you made really affected a story outcome.

Dragon Age Origins was almost a return to form, but that was quickly stripped away in favor of a bland human protagonist with a voice and chocolate vanilla decisions in a world full of blatantly reused assets. By the time ME3 shipped, if it wasn't cutscenes or shooting, the design was driven by apathy - animation, quests, the quest log and pretty much anything any developer would obsess over making smooth and enjoyable felt like it was cobbled together by jaded, underpaid interns. Even a number of the conversations were just auto-piloted rather than given Bioware's distinctive presentation of such conversations. You could tell ME3 was rushed to meet a deadline even before you got to the actual endings. There were missed opportunities left and right within the game.

And even then they were still faithfully worshipped by most fans, meanwhile Zenimax is busy kicking the remnants of Interplay and Black Isle around and, of all things, deny Obsidian bonuses for the phenominal job they did with FNV due to its Metacritic average.

So when the news came that these two guys were leaving the sinking ship that is Bioware, I couldn't say I was that sympathetic. These guys let EA ravage and marginalize Bioware and did it with a shit-eating grin the whole time. And while I may be critical of Fallout 3, I accept it was the TES team's first go at an Fallout game and it may not have quite captured the spirit like FNV did. Todd Howard is the kinda of guy that - unlike Bioware's founders and Casey Hudson - will take the heat and fight for his team to get the time they need on a release (though they could stand to get some folks competent with coding for PS3, but that may be a non-issue with the next PS console). I trust they'll learn from FNV and not play it so safe next time with Fallout 4.

But Bioware? I'm content to watch them rot now. I have no trust in regards to Dragon Age III being what gamers want so long as the studio remains ruled by a publish more concerned with quarterly earnings than quality experiences.

[Balfree]

Re: RIP Bioware

Guess I agree.. it's just sad to see it go after all they joy they provided me with.

But hey, new things will come.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: RIP Bioware

Bioware Docs May Have Left Over Negative Fan Reaction - IGN

Even if this was true, its fair to say Bioware earned that backlash even when you factor out EA's deadlines.

[Firewind]

Re: RIP Bioware

Well Ray Muzyka did respond to that via Twitter: https://twitter.com/RayMuzyka/status/251808651671642113

It just seems the journalist had an agenda really and the post seemed like it belonged more to a blog than an actual article of journalism.

What is far more likely that they left due to the whole idea of being a publisher owned studio but realised it wasn't much fun. Plus add in the fact that EA pretty much threw Mythic at them and suddenly Bioware were running a dying MMO that EA ran into the ground and also suddenly using that studio to develop a new MMO based on their licensed IP.

And Bioware grew too fast as well, imagine trying to manage a company growing so quickly and getting so much money and resources thrown at it.

Honestly reading the posts I linked in my original post and it just looks like they were burnt out and EA being EA and gamers being gamers were just part of why they quit.

[Omgwtfbbqkitten]

Re: RIP Bioware

Honestly reading the posts I linked in my original post and it just looks like they were burnt out and EA being EA and gamers being gamers were just part of why they quit.

So you don't find it a coincidence that they just up an leave simultaneously a year and a half after the world stopped kissing their asses and in that time landed critical failure (DA2), financial failure (SWOTR) and earned two rounds of backlash (DA2, ME3) as well?

I'm not one to accuse IGN of actual journalism or anything, but the timing is just too convenient. I mean how is it someone like Todd Howard can go toe-to-toe with Zenimax execs to get the time he needs for his studi0 and then these guys - who's mantra used to be 'We won't release it til its done" - suddenly can't stand up for what their studios need? EA may be EA and gamers may be gamers, but Bioware changed and it wasn't for the better.

[Firewind]

Re: RIP Bioware

Sometimes a coincidence is just that. But not really in this case since that would be silly.

I'm not saying that it could never have been a reason why they left, I was just pointing out that them leaving purely due to the fan reaction is a bit farfetched. From the information it seems to run a little deeper than that. No doubt it was a contributing factor but when I have been trying to say is that yes, EA and Bioware rightfully received what they got for how badly they handled ME3 and DA2 and yes, Bioware has changed and not for the better. But, there's got to be more to it for them leaving than just the fan backlash.

And I'm not saying my burnout theory is right either, though the fan backlash would certainly contribute to that but I suppose unless those guys actually say "this is why we quit" then all we can do is speculate and make educated guesses.