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Catching up with BioWare cofounder Greg Zeschuk
Greg Zeschuk, the man that co-founded BioWare and shepherded the development of now classic franchises like Mass Effect and Dragon Age, left the gaming industry for good more than two years ago. Yet, despite that apparent retirement, he was back on the show floor at GDC in San Francisco to show off Biba, one of his many part-time side projects. Don't worry. Zeschuk's main passion remains beer, beer and more beer. But he's also committed to using his influence and financial resources for more altruistic endeavors.
EA taps Matthew Bromberg as BioWare studio head
He's got big shoes to fill, but Electronic Arts is confident that Matthew Bromberg will be able to helm BioWare following the departure of Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka a year ago. VentureBeat reports that EA has tapped Matthew Bromberg for a promotion from BioWare Austin general manager to group general manager of the entire company. This puts Bromberg in charge of the many BioWare divisions, including studios in Canada and California. Bromberg joined the company in 2012 and was a former CEO of Major League Gaming. With Bromberg's promotion, Jeff Hickman has become the new BioWare Austin general manager.
Zeschuk: EA 'gives you enough rope to hang yourself,' in a good way
BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk is done with the gaming industry, at least from a development standpoint and at least for now, he told Games Industry after receiving a Lifetime Achievement Award with fellow doctor Ray Muzyka at GDC."I really don't see myself making a brand-new game developer," Zeschuk said. "I also don't really see myself working for anyone else, at least in the traditional sense. But I can imagine myself, for example, being on a board, consulting ... In building a business and making a game company, it is a kind of been there, done that feeling. When you've checked off all the boxes, why do it again? I don't really imagine a full-time gig in the business appealing to me – I just don't see it."Zeschuk said he's proud of the creative legacy he cultivated at BioWare, and cites one specific regret of his time there: not making Jade Empire an Xbox 360 launch title. That "would have been massive," Zeschuk said.EA acquired BioWare in 2007 prior to the launch of Mass Effect, and Zeschuk said he's still happy with that move. The BioWare team never had to conform to EA's standards of microtransactions or forced multiplayer, though it did have to keep the bottom line in mind, he said."The best analogy I use, in a positive way, is EA gives you enough rope to hang yourself. It was really interesting because we really made all the choices we wanted to make ourselves; these are all things we wanted to try ... That was the biggest revelation, that rope that EA gives you; they don't second-guess you, they don't say you shouldn't do that. We had complete creative control over a lot of it; some fans didn't like some of it and some of it was experimental, quite frankly."
BioWare co-founder talks EA's influence, beer, and gamer negativity
BioWare co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk may have traded in RPGs for craft beer, but the ex-developer still has plenty to say about his former profession. In a phone interview with GamesIndustry.biz, Zeschuk explains why he's open to games consulting and how he doesn't game as much as he used to. Zeschuk also rejects any notion of Electronic Arts being a negative influence on BioWare. "They don't second-guess you, they don't say you shouldn't do that," he explains. "We had complete creative control over a lot of it; some fans didn't like some of it and some of it was experimental, quite frankly." Finally, Zeschuk has some interesting insights into gamer culture and the negativity that surrounded BioWare's recent projects. "At the end of the day, for every one person complaining there are a whole bunch of other people who actually like it," Zeschuk says. And while he admits to enjoying the fact that beer lovers aren't prone to arguments and invective like gamers, there's something to be said for that level of engagement. "I think the problem with gamers is you're damned if you do and you're damned if you don't. But what it talks to is the power of games as art and the power of games as a medium where people get really, really passionate," Zeschuk explains.
GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR
If you've been following BioWare for any length of time, then you know James Ohlen. When I interviewed him a couple of years back at PAX East and again last year at the Star Wars: The Old Republic guild summit, I could feel his sincere passion for the game. Ohlen joined the SWTOR project at its inception and held the creative director position for well over half a decade. SWTOR is as much his game as anyone's. As is common at the Game Developers Conference, developers speak candidly to other future game-creators about the inner workings of their studios' biggest projects. Sometimes those tales are cautionary; some are inspiring. This time, Ohlen's told the story of SWTOR, the game that currently holds the record as the second largest subscription MMO ever, and how free-to-play turned what could have been a tale of utter failure into a story of success.
The Game Archaeologist: Origin stories of modern MMO studios
A good origin story always captivates me, especially when it gives me a new perspective on something I've come to appreciate over the years. I love looking back at actors' first few films or hearing about how, say, Atari and Microsoft got their start. With MMO studios, these origin stories abound and are equally fascinating to me. For example, who would've known that the makers of a couple of SNES titles would one day be running the largest MMO in the world? Or what if few gaming hobbyists in the '80s hadn't created MUDs and then gone on to revolutionize online PvP play? Today we're going to go back to the very beginning of several modern MMO studios to see when and how they came into being. Who knows... it might change how you see them forever.
BioWare doctors to receive GDCA Lifetime Achievement award
The Game Developers Conference announced BioWare co-founders Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk as the winners of this year's Lifetime Achievement Award. At the GDCAs on March 27, the doctors are to be honored with one of the industry's most prestigious prizes, won previously by such luminaries as Shigeru Miyamoto, Will Wright, and Hideo Kojima."The BioWare doctors are truly a unique breed," said Meggan Scavio, General Manager of GDC events. "Not only have they created some of the most emotionally-engaging and beloved games ever made, they are two of the most passionate, engaging, just all-around nice guys anyone could be fortunate enough to meet... There's no denying the deep footprint Ray and Greg have made, and how much their dedication and leadership will be missed in our industry."18 years ago, the two recently graduated Canadian doctors, along with Augustine Yip, forged a studio that went on to shape Western role-playing games for nearly two decades. Under their leadership, BioWare transformed from a close-knit studio of dozens into a worldwide force of hundreds. That's largely been down to the consistent quality and popularity of the games they've made, including the likes of Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect.We caught up with Dr. Zeschuk recently to see what beers he'd pair with particular game genres. We're sure he'll have a certain tipple in mind for when he and Dr. Muzyka celebrate their award, and whatever that proves to be, it'll certainly be well deserved.
Dr. Greg Zeschuk matches genre to gravity with video game beer pairings
For those of us older than our local legal drinking age, playing the right game with the right beer is a pretty difficult combination to beat. Finding the most correct pairing of game and brew, however, can be more difficult than it might seem at first blush.That's why we've asked BioWare co-founder and artisan beer aficionado Dr. Greg Zeschuk for his advice on the most appropriate beer/genre pairings. Having left the video gaming industry last September after 20 years at the helm of such games as Mass Effect and Dragon Age: Origins, Zeschuk has since dedicated his time to telling the story of America's flourishing craft beer scene, and the passionate people that make it what it is.The result of his efforts, a documentary webseries called The Beer Diaries, premiered its first episode at Austin's Alamo Drafthouse earlier this week. We caught up with Dr. Zeschuk that morning to talk about, among other things, pairing beer with games.
Greg Zeschuk on leaving BioWare: 'You just get tired of it after a while'
When BioWare docs Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka announced their departure from the gaming giant they co-founded, theories as to why ranged from fan negativity to Star Wars: The Old Republic's performance to simple burnout. In a new interview with Polygon, Zeschuk says in his case it boiled down to a lack of passion. "I just wasn't as into it as I was originally," he said. "Everything's a factor," Zeschuk continued. "There's nothing that's not a factor, but there's no single one thing. I think the best way I can describe is: Do the same thing for twenty years and it's very, very intense. It's very high pressure. It's very high stress. It's challenging. It's sometimes rewarding and sometimes it's not. And you just get tired of it after awhile. That is probably the easiest way to for me to describe it. Sometimes you just need to change things."
Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs
From a player's perspective, Star Wars: The Old Republic exceeded expectations on its launch one year ago today. Fans really took to the story content, reporting that the story content was the most fun they'd had leveling in any MMO up to that point. Things were looking great. The designers were obviously proud, and sales neared the two million mark, surpassing all previous MMOs for box sales at launch. Even before the official launch of the game, BioWare had to add new servers because of the number of people in early access. The day before the official launch, some queue times were over two hours, and at that time, there were 140 servers. Life was insane at BioWare to say the least.
Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR?
Given how many people have quit Star Wars: The Old Republic and how many of those people still follow me in other media, I should really not be surprised at the number of people who ask, "Why do you still play SWTOR?" Usually, that question is followed by some snide remark about how the game sucks and will close down in less than a year, so I don't answer. However, I know there are some people who after reading my latest article about Damion Schubert have been legitimately concerned about playing SWTOR and legitimately wonder why anyone still plays the game. Several months ago, I talked about the three major reasons I play SWTOR: Star Wars, BioWare, and MMOs. Interestingly, those three major components have been called into question within the last couple of months. Beyond them, are there any other compelling reasons to keep playing? And is there anything that will stop me from playing?
Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare
A few weeks ago Star Wars: The Old Republic's lead designer, Daniel Erickson, sparked some rumors by adding the phrase "actively looking for new opportunities" to his LinkedIn profile. A tweet today made his split with the company official, bringing seven years of being at BioWare to a close. Erickson joins former executive producer Rich Vogel and BioWare founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk as big names leaving the company in the last handful of months. Of course, that's just people leaving voluntarily -- the company saw substantial layoffs in summer due to refining and restructuring. [Thanks to alert reader Jay for the tip.]
Ex-BioWare dev: Negativity too much for Zeschuk, Muzyka
Former BioWare dev Trent Oster thinks that fan negativity probably contributed to the recent exit strategy for BioWare founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka. "The last time I met up with [Greg], I felt his exhaustion," Oster told Now Gamer. 'Punch out, eject, get the hell out,' was my suggestion to him and it hit closer to the mark than I had realized. I also think the Mass Effect 3 fan reaction and the Old Republic fans' negativity was just too much." Oster goes on to express surprise at Muzyka's departure, saying that he had him "pegged as an EA lifer." "I'm sure the internal culture at EA had pinned the Old Republic conversion to free-to-play as a failure and hung that completely on Ray, so that would have hurt his upward climb. But, I figured he would fight harder. EA upper management must have been even worse than I thought," Oster explained.
BioWare GM outlines new Mass Effect, original game after upheaval
Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare Edmonton and Montreal, doesn't want fans to worry about passion or creativity within the studio following the retirement of BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk."I know this might be concerning for some of you but the leaders at BioWare have had some time to think about it – to think about how the games, the fans, and the creative teams would move on without the two guys who started this organization back in 1995," Flynn writes.He outlines the projects coming from BioWare, noting yesterday's reveal of Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, which has executive producer Mark Darrah at the helm.Casey Hudson, executive producer of the Mass Effect series, has plans for another full game within the Mass Effect universe. The next piece of DLC for Mass Effect 3 is Omega, due out in the fall.Hudson is also creating a brand new game, Flynn says: "While Casey continues to oversee the development of our new Mass Effect project, he and his leads are putting together their vision for an all new game set in a fictional universe, built from the bottom-up with all new gaming technology."Flynn closes the roundup with a nod to Muzyka and Zeschuk, and to BioWare as a resilient brand. "Ray and Greg built BioWare to last. They've always known their retirement would come one day, so they developed a team of people who would ensure their standards and culture would endure. We'll humbly carry that torch and continue learning in the process."To the Doctors: I wish you the very best, and we will always honor your legacy. The games we develop will always share your unique creativity and steadfast integrity."
BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk retire, to exit the game industry
BioWare co-founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka collectively announced their retirement today from the studio they founded nearly 20 years ago, as well as from their positions at parent company Electronic Arts. Each is leaving the game industry altogether, with Muzyka heading into philanthropy, and Zeschuk into the world of craft brewing. Muzyka reflected on his years in game development and management in a blog post. "It's not often that you can truly say you were able to pursue and achieve your dream job; I know how lucky I am to be able to say that now, in my early 40s," he said. Zeschuk was similarly reflective. "Building BioWare over the years with Ray and the many other people involved was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I'll cherish it always," he wrote. The two former doctors founded Bioware in 1995, and developed iconic titles like Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights, Mass Effect, Dragon Age, and most recently, Star Wars: The Old Republic (an MMO). BioWare was purchased by Electronic Arts in 2007, and its name has since spread to a variety of EA's other studios.
BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement
The doctors... are out. BioWare announced that Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, co-founders of the studio, are retiring from the gaming biz. The two have been instrumental in the creation of many hit RPGs, from Baldur's Gate to Mass Effect. For us MMO fans, they're best-known for helming the ship that brought us Star Wars: The Old Republic. The two are taking a break, perhaps indefinitely, from game creation and management. Muzyka is looking to engage in charities and social work, while Zeschuk is going to dive into projects involving craft beer. "This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make; after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from videogames back in early April 2012 -- at that time I provided six months' notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare," Muzyka wrote in his farewell letter. "This decision isn't without significant pain and regret, but it's also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I've reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation," Zeschuk said in his. The two maintain that BioWare is in good hands and will continue to excel going forward.
BioWare co-founders Greg Zeschuk, Ray Muzyka retiring from industry
Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka, co-founders of BioWare in 1995, are leaving the studio to pursue careers outside of the video game industry. Zeschuk and Muzyka have written blogs explaining the situation.Muzyka intends to enter the entrepreneurship field, writing, "I believe strongly in the power of free enterprise to enable sustainable change, so my next 'chapter' will likely focus on an entirely new industry, something exciting, different and frankly downright scary – investing in and mentoring new entrepreneurs, and more specifically, the field of social/impact investing."Zeschuk describes his fading passion for the video game industry, noting that the people he's worked with over the years still inspire him. "After nearly twenty years working at BioWare I've decided it's time to move on and pursue something new. This decision isn't without significant pain and regret, but it's also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I've reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation."That "something new" may be brewing craft beer, Zeschuk says."After my departure I'm going to be spending significant time with family and friends, as well as pursuing some personal passion-driven projects related to craft beer. The main project I will be working on is a web-based interview show called The Beer Diaries where I interview notable brewers and showcase their beers. If things go well, I'll work on other beer-related shows, apps and projects. If not, I'll have drunk a lot of tasty beers and may be back in games or even something else completely different. Ultimately time will tell."Contacted for further comment, EA corporate communications simply pointed us to the blog post by the two doctors. All EA would say is that both are retiring form the gaming industry and both execs offer heartfelt thanks to their BioWare teams and EA.
Greg Zeschuk not leaving BioWare, just General Manager position [Updated]
According to a rumor circulating at German games site GamersGlobal, one of the founders of BioWare, Greg Zeschuk, may be leaving the studio he helped create. Word of his possible departure has been rumored since the May layoffs, but an EA representative reportedly confirmed to GamersGlobal that Zeschuk "outlined his plan to return to his family in Edmonton for a much deserved vacation." The site also suggested that Zeschuk has been absent from the studio for several weeks, and there were fears within the Austin studio that both Zeschuk and co-founder Ray Muzyka were planning to leave. The rep went on to clarify: "Greg also announced the new GM of BioWare Austin and Old Republic, Matt Bromberg. Greg is still with EA. He's now back in Canada, taking time off and thinking about new projects. No change with Ray Muzyka." As this is still a rumor at this point, we must note that official confirmation from EA hasn't been made on this report. We will update with any news as it's made available. [Update: Gamasutra reports that Zeschuk is not leaving BioWare completely; he did leave his General Manager role back in May.]
Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare
It's my sincerest hope that we never again have a news week like we did last week. Every mistake that could be made in MMO development was made this past week. Obviously, the biggest news revolved around the 38 Studios fiasco. Perhaps it's hard when you're in the midst of a development cycle and concentrating on deadlines and milestones to see the larger picture and the proverbial writing on the wall. It should have been obvious to the developers behind the scenes the project was doomed, but I say that with 20/20 hindsight. Of course, Star Wars: The Old Republic won't be outdone by 38 Studios. BioWare had to flood the feeds with its own bad news in the form of layoffs. Then almost in the same breath, it announced that the game will be merging servers. I guess SWTOR couldn't be outdone by itself, either. It had to add insult to its own injury. Although the timing of the layoffs was a bit surprising, those of us observing from the outside could see the server merges coming. The stories in Star Wars aren't just about good conquering evil, but they are also about redemption and good coming out of a bad situation. The tragedy of Luke's aunt and uncle being killed was the catalyst that started his journey to becoming a great hero and Jedi Knight. Darth Vader was ultimately redeemed when he killed the emperor. But is there the same redemption for SWTOR? Will it ultimately become the great game everyone was hoping that it would be?
Star Wars: The Old Republic hit with layoffs [Updated]
BioWare doctors Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka have posted a blurb on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic website confirming the downsizing of the game's development team. The update is short on details and long on superlatives relating to the sci-fi MMO's successful launch, so we're not sure who was laid off at this point. The docs say that it's business as usual going forward for SWTOR and that the game will continue to grow over time. "We still have a very substantial development team working on supporting and growing the game, and we feel we are in a strong position, with your continued involvement and feedback, to continue to build Star Wars: The Old Republic as one of the most compelling and successful online experiences in the world today," the statement reads. [Update: SWTOR Community Manager Stephen Reid has today changed his LinkedIn page indicating that his tenure with the studio ended in May 2012, suggesting that he might be one of those affected by these layoffs. We'll keep you posted as we learn more.]
