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BioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO
If you've been among the vocal crowds demanding that BioWare stop fiddling around with that "Star Wars thing" and get on a Mass Effect MMO as soon as possible, today might be your day of vindication. It turns out that BioWare's co-founders are very much open to the possibility of an online edition of its popular Mass Effect franchise. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk recently fielded the ever-popular question in a much more upbeat tone than ever before. Zeschuk says the studio will evaluate a potential Mass Effect MMO in the near future: "You never know. I think once The Old Republic is done, we'll take a fresh look at the market." "We're focused very much on The Old Republic, Mass Effect 3 and Wrath of Heroes, and all the other things we've announced, and haven't announced, but we also have the opportunity to look at our franchises in a way we haven't ever before. There are lots of new platforms and lots of new business models," Muzyka added. Mass Effect: The MMO is one of those speculative rumors that seems to never die. Analysts have predicted that such an MMO could top Star Wars: The Old Republic's numbers.
BioWare's Doctors: 'We have an aggressive post-launch plan'
With the question of "When will Star Wars: The Old Republic ever launch?" finally answered, inquiring minds have turned to the future of the as-of-yet unreleased MMO. In an interview with Gamesindustry.biz, BioWare's Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk covered many topics, including the studio's plans following December 20th. "We have a really aggressive plan post launch to build content and take the feedback to heart that we're getting from players and what they want for continued expansions, and use that feedback to build new content," Muzyka promised. The conversation also included a probing question about the decision to limit initial sales of the game. Muzyka says that stability and service are high priorities in the company: "You have to build the infrastructure to support a certain size launch and we're also thinking really long term at Bioware EA for this, there are going to be many, many consumers coming to the game over time and we're going to be expanding it out." Other topics covered include the funny exploits that players have discovered in beta, the challenges and joys of working on the Star Wars IP, and the issue of free-to-play business models versus subscriptions. In regards to the latter, Zeschuck isn't worried that SWTOR decided to go the sub route. "The trend for free-to-play doesn't supplant great top quality premium games that support a subscription," he said, while going on to laud the flexibility of F2P formats.
'BioWare Ireland' opens as 400-person customer service center ... in Ireland
Following up its tax incentive-fueled studio opening in Austin, Texas, EA this morning revealed the opening of a new customer service center in business friendly Galway, Ireland. When fully staffed, "BioWare Ireland" will task approximately 400 employees with making this year's big BioWare release go as smoothly as possible, employing customer service agents primarily. Star Wars: The Old Republic is set to launch December 20 in North America, and December 22 in Europe, so the service center is opening just in time for business. During a speech at the grand opening, BioWare co-head Ray Muzyka called out to potential employees across all parts of Europe to join BioWare's Ireland team. "We've got a solid base of people here already in Galway ... we're looking for more. From Ireland ... from the rest of Europe to support our German and French customers ... from all over the world. We want you to join us here at BioWare Ireland." Muzyka was no doubt trying to fill out the studio's current staff of 200, which is expected to double at full capacity. BioWare's Galway service center marks the first installation the company will operate outside of North America.
'Irrational Interviews' pairs Ken Levine with the BioWare docs on latest episode
When we tipped you in the past about Irrational Games' ongoing series of podcasts, dubbed "Irrational Interviews," we may not have been emphatic enough about becoming an ongoing listener. To date, not a single episode has been less than interesting, and this week's episode with the BioWare doctors goes far beyond that all-too-general adjective. The trio cover everything from their disparate, non-game industry backgrounds, to the myriad difficulties involved in growing a studio, to the requisite "where is the industry going" conversation (unfortunately, even these folks don't know for sure). And clocking in at around half an hour, you can easily fit it in while your significant other watches another episode of the Jersey Shore. [Image credit: Flickr user 'richcz3']
BioWare: The Old Republic will be 'one of the biggest launches ever in the history of gaming'
While Star Wars: The Old Republic looks to be on track for a holiday release, BioWare's Dr. Greg Zeschuk admits to being "daunted" by the size and scope of the project. "This game's launch is going to be one of the biggest launches ever in the history of gaming," he said. When talking with Eurogamer, Zeschuk said that the studio is trying to make sure that everything is "solid" enough before it pulls the trigger and releases the game, but it is also trying to get the game out the doors as fast as it can. Currently, the game is being tested by thousands of players daily, a number that is expected to increase dramatically once September's expanded testing cycle hits. "It's literally live right now," he said. Whether The Old Republic will stand or fall, it won't be for a lack of preparation on BioWare's behalf. Zeschuk paints a picture of the hectic work being done behind the scenes: "It's one thing to get the game done, another to ensure you can login thousands of people a minute. It's a different sort of requirement. The things you need to get done to ship this are very different from a standard game. A standard game, this is like five of them, right? Our job is really simple: making sure it's great when it comes out."
BioWare 'figuring out the right way' to continue Mass Effect after ME3
Speaking with business giant Forbes, BioWare founders/doctors Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka spoke on the possibility of life after Mass Effect 3, saying that ME3's universe of diverse alien races and planets has struck a chord with the series' audience. While their priorities and resources are currently focused on "nailing it" with ME3, the doctors maintain that possibilities in the future are wide open. "We do have a desire to continue the Mass Effect franchise," said Muzyka, "and we're working on the details, figuring out what the fans want, figuring out the right way." Given the amount of codex text the series has generated over the years, we don't doubt that there are still stories left to tell in the ME universe.
Interview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk details studio philosophy and more
BioWare holds a reputation in the gaming community for consistently releasing polished, high-quality games, especially when it comes to in-depth narratives. Have you ever wondered about the studio's philosophy in regard to game creation? Ever wondered what it is that drives BioWare, and moreover -- since this is Massively, after all -- how it influences the ongoing development of Star Wars: The Old Republic? In a rather lengthy interview with Gamasutra, BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk give gamers a peek behind the curtain at what really makes BioWare tick. There's a plethora of interesting information in the interview, ranging from the company's philosophy of imbuing each game with emotion -- leading to the strong narratives for which BioWare is so renowned -- to the qualities Ray and Greg think will separate The Old Republic from the elephant in the room that is World of Warcraft. The interview itself is far too lengthy to adequately summarize in the length of a news post, but one point that stands out is that, despite being an absolute powerhouse in the gaming industry, BioWare still focuses heavily on humility. Being able to admit when mistakes have been made and learning from the experience is something that many studios could certainly learn from. For the full, information-packed interview, head on over to Gamasutra.
Hyperspace Beacon: Rule of many
It feels a bit meta to respond to my own column, but my last article caused quite a stir. I would be vainglorious to believe that my point of view is the only one or that it is the best one. Given the 68 responses to my article in the comments section here and over 17 pages on the official Star Wars: The Old Republic forum -- at least half of which completely disagreed with me -- I would be ignorant to believe that there is room for only one approach to the subject. On top of that, Principal Lead Combat Designer Georg Zoeller offered a compelling argument that counters my stance in a completely unrelated thread. In this issue of the Hyperspace Beacon, I'm going to give voice to the opposition. I would hope that everyone who responded to the last article wants SWTOR to succeed as much as I do. (I realize that what I said previously could be construed as not wanting this game to be great, but that's untrue. I want the game to be the best it can be.) Many of the comments I received can be categorized together, so following the break, I will summarize the other positions. Let's see how SWTOR is keeping the MMO in the MMORPG.
What's in a Name: BioWare
It's time for the BioWare: Origins name story. At DICE 2011, we had the opportunity to ask Drs. Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk how their studio got its name: Dr. Ray Muzyka: "The three founders, Greg, myself and [Augustine Yip] our third partner, we were all medical doctors by training, so it was a tongue-in-cheek reference to us being medical doctors. It was also a reference to software for humans. The original logo had the BioWare name and then a robot hand and human hand, the idea of a machine and human interface. ... We thought it was a memorable name and it was free [for use], as well. The idea of the medical reference was quite popular, it's continually come back up over the past couple decades, so in that sense it was a pretty good name, I guess." Dr. Greg Zeschuk: "I think it was that and the software for humans concept. We're making software for people: Bio. Ware. ... We wanted something interesting, cool, memorable. I think the medical piece was the big thing, but also the interface concept." Muzyka: "We dropped the two hands as part of the logo. Our early business cards had it ..." Zeschuk: "... and T-shirts. Collector's T-shirts." BioWare will launch Dragon Age 2 in March and The Old Republic sometime in 2011. Like this feature? Be sure to check out the What's In A Name Archives.
AIAS Hall of Fame 'Game Changers' confess pro mistakes
Kicking off DICE 2011, the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences invited Hall of Fame "game changers" to speak on a variety of topics, moderated by New York Times writer Seth Schiesel. Things got introspective when the panel discussed design decisions they wish they could take back, or a plan that didn't work out as well as they thought it would. BioWare's Dr. Greg Zeschuk, who will be inducted into the AIAS Hall of Fame this year with business partner Dr. Ray Muzyka, said that about 10 or 12 years ago he made a pitch video for Five Fingers of Death. It was going to be a kung-fu game set in the Baldur's Gate universe. Cutscenes would have have been too expensive to produce, so Zeschuk spent several weeks re-dubbing old kung-fu movies using his own voice. When the tape went out he recalls several companies laughed them off. If anyone happens to have a copy of that tape, there are several video upload sites we'd be more than happy to recommend.
BioWare: WoW is the "touchstone" for The Old Republic
Debate has raged long and hard in fan circles as to whether or not BioWare's upcoming Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG is a "WoW clone." Speaking on the keynote panel at the DICE Summit in Las Vegas, BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk added a bit of fuel to that particular fire by outlining how SWTOR is treading the path laid down by the current king of the genre. "It [World of Warcraft] is a touchstone. It has established standards, it's established how you play an MMO. Every MMO that comes out, I play and look at it. And if they break any of the WoW rules, in my book that's pretty dumb," Zeschuk said. Zeschuk also addressed the social gaming trend, saying that triple-A projects are still alive and kicking thanks to Blizzard's success. "Bigger does work. Big has worked and frankly, WoW is the biggest. On a pure revenue basis it's probably the biggest game ever by a country mile. It generates so much revenue it's an incredible international business unto itself," he said.
AIAS Hall of Famers delivering 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote
So, you've only got a few hours set aside this year with which to absorb illumination from some of the gaming industry's smartest folks? You won't find a more efficient way to satisfy your needs than the 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit keynote panel, which will feature the shared wisdom of a number of Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences Hall of Famers from years past. (And years current!) Presenters include Blizzard president Mike Morhaime, Grandfather of the RTS genre Bruce Shelley, Cerny Games president Mike Cerny and BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk. If you can make it to the panel on the evening of February 9, we're pretty sure that you'll possess all the knowledge you'll need to create the industry's next big game. At the very least, you'll have some inspiration for some awesome last names for said game's characters.
BioWare doctors add 'AIAS Hall of Fame' to credentials
BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk will be inducted into the Academy of Interactive Arts and Sciences (AIAS) Hall of Fame. Muzyka and Zeschuk will be the fourteenth and fifteenth (they can quibble about which is which) members in the hall of fame, which includes folks like Mike Cerny, Mike Morhaime and Dani Bunten. This is the first time the award has been given to a pair. "The Doctors," as they are referred to in the industry, took the leap from medicine to game design and have been more than marginally successful, heading up the studio that created top-tier franchises Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. The awards will be presented to the pair by Epic Games prez Mike Capps at the 2011 D.I.C.E. Summit in February. We really hope someone chooses the renegade option when the duo get up to accept their awards.
From the VGAs Red Carpet: Bioware's Doctors
At the red carpet event right before the VGAs this weekend, all we could get out of Bioware's two founding doctors, Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, about their reveal was that "it involves shooting." Sure enough, as we predicted, the new game ended up being Mass Effect 3, and we'll look forward to more information about that game as we move toward release next year. But in the meantime, Muzyka and Zeschuk were happy to tell us what they thought of fan reaction to the last entry in the series. Even though it came out last January, Mass Effect 2 remains a game of the year contender for 2010. "It's a tremendous honor for us to have the game considered in that light by the fans," said Muzyka. "At the end of the day, that's what it's all about." Zeshuck agrees that "it's a long time. But people seem to remember it, and it's really exciting that it's still on people's minds." With Dragon Age 2 and The Old Republic already on the way, and now Mass Effect 3 due out next year as well, we asked if Bioware is concerned about spreading itself too thin. "There was a point a couple of years ago where we actually thought about that really carefully," says Zeschuk. "We actually did kind of constrict ourselves a few years back. We had to very specifically structure the studios." But nowadays, the doctors feel that the company's balance is exactly right. "I've actually just done a circuit across the studios," says Muzyka. "What really struck me is how passionate our people are, and how much they care about the quality of the experiences. We're making different types of games in every studio, but they all retain that feel of Bioware."
BioWare Docs talk Dragon Age, Mass Effect, The Old Republic plans
BioWare co-founders Dr. Greg Zeschuk and Dr. Ray Muzyka have their fingers in a lot of pies (which are made of giant RPGs) -- in a recent interview with Eurogamer, the duo explained how the developer's attention is split across its catalog of franchises. On the subject of Dragon Age 2, the Doctors explained that they're focusing on expanding the universe they've created, rather than telling a chronological story. "It's probably fair to say it's less precise than the Mass Effect trilogy concept," Zeschuk explained. Speaking of BioWare's spacefaring RPG, Muzyka explained, "We're still working on stuff in the Mass Effect universe actively," with Zeschuk adding, "We have a pretty long DLC plan for Mass. We're still doing lots of stuff there." The Doctors also addressed their tremendously costly MMO Star Wars: The Old Republic, with Muzyka saying "It's a big bet, but it's the right kind of bet to make for EA," and Zeschuk adding "Hey, entertainment's risky by nature." That's certainly true -- just ask The Adventures of Pluto Nash. Check out the full interview for more of the Doctors' insights on BioWare's upcoming projects.
BioWare doctors "disappointed" in EA Louse
BioWare founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka recently sat down for a lengthy interview with Eurogamer. The doctors discussed Dragon Age II, Mass Effect 2, and more importantly for MMORPG fans, Star Wars: The Old Republic. In terms of a release window, Muzyka confirmed 2011 for the Star Wars opus but wouldn't commit to the first half, second half, or any other portion of the year. The interview also addressed the recent rant by EA Louse that, in part, predicted The Old Republic would be "one of the greatest failures in the history of MMOs" and that also decried working conditions at BioWare-Mythic. Zeschuk and Muzyka mentioned the fact that BioWare recently won a top 100 employers award and invests both time and money into bettering the workplace environment for employees. When pressed as to the credibility of the anonymous poster, the doctors dismissed the posting as difficult to act upon. "We sit down and do an open forum with all the employees and get feedback from them. We welcome one-on-one feedback. When we get stuff we can improve and act on we do it," Muzyka said. Finally, the interview touches on the financial gamble that TOR represents for BioWare and Electronic Arts, and neither founder comes across as particularly concerned. "We know millions and millions of people out there love this universe, and we're delivering a great game experience in that universe," Muzyka said. Head to Eurogamer for the full article text.
Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO
reddit_url='http://massively.joystiq.com/2010/08/16/baldurs-gate-was-almost-an-mmo/' Tweet var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/Baldur_s_Gate_was_almost_an_MMO_Massively'; For those of you who remember Baldur's Gate, we want you to close your eyes and imagine it as an MMO. For the time it released (the mid-90s), it quite possibly could have been the first MMO, at that. At a recent GDC Europe panel for BioWare, studio founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk had some fun with the audience, reminiscing on what might have been. The original game's title was Battleground Infinity and was pitched to five publishers as a massively multiplayer online game that revolved around mythological gods. Interplay are the ones who pushed the doctors toward the Dungeons & Dragons RPG route, which I'm pretty sure worked out for them in the end.
Develop: How is digital distribution changing the games you play?
Now that services like Xbox Live, PSN, Steam and the iPhone App Store have proven digital distribution as a market force to be reckoned with, it's time to start examining what this change means to publishers and developers. Four game industry veteran got up on stage at the Develop Conference in Brighton this week to do just that. On the one hand, some saw the increasing influence of digital distribution as having a democratizing effect on the market, letting big publishers and small indie developers compete on even footing. BioWare's Greg Zeschuk argued that, these days, a well-known brand isn't enough to sell a low-quality game on its own. "EA hasn't been throwing out half-assed content [on digital platforms]," he said. "You not only have to have the franchise but also the quality."
BioWare "aggressively" exploring new MMO development
BioWare's ongoing success in the games industry is something that can't be argued, but the company is anxious to keep things moving forward. BioWare co-founder Dr. Greg Zeschuk spoke at the Develop Conference this morning, and had some very interesting things to say about what the minds behind BioWare have been up to. They explored some options that didn't work so well, and some other options that they were very pleased with: "We learned the hard way. The learning there was you have to iterate. The team went back and made some more games that we never released that were way better. Large scale MMOs. Small scale MMOs. We're going to continue to do triple-A console, but we're also going to be exploring pretty aggressively." The fact that BioWare has created both large and small scale MMOs that were "way better," combined with the company's plans to continue exploring beyond the range of consoles raises the possibility of great things to come for MMO fans. From the sound of things, BioWare plans to remain one for the MMO community to keep an eye on well past the launch of SWTOR.
E3 reveal: Player spaceships and PvP Battlegrounds in SWTOR!
var digg_url = 'http://digg.com/pc_games/E3_reveal_Player_spaceships_and_PvP_Battlegrounds_in_SWTOR'; A new door has been opened today in Star Wars: The Old Republic: the door to your very own customizable spaceship! Mary Bihr and Dr. Greg Zeschuk, of LucasArts and Bioware respectively, stood on the stage at E3 to shock Star Wars fans everywhere. Since the first movie with the Millenium Falcon, the starship has been the center of every character's personal story. Friendships were built, and characters even fell in love, on starships. What story will your character build in his or her starship, and what personal touches would you like to see? Battlegrounds will be the primary focus of PvP combat in SWTOR. Indeed, the new trailer called "Hope" alludes to the fact that one of the primary battlegrounds will be on the planet Alderaan. We know from the official site that Alderaan is a planet estranged from the Republic. This Core planet is the first announced area which will be hotly contested by both the Republic and Imperial forces. So gear up your Trooper and ready your lightsaber, the battle for the Old Republic is about to begin!
