Bioware : No, EA Isn't pulling our Strings.

[Qitz]

In a recent interview with Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-03-bioware-ea-doesnt-tell-us-what-to-do] BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

 

[Versuvius]

I still think EA is to blame for the DA2 fiasco >.>

 

[Lucyfer86]

This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Which are actually way better than "traditional" RPG's.

 

[ShindoL Shill]

thats exactly what they WOULD say if they were controlled by EA!
*adjusts tinfoil trilby*

OT: did... did we actually blame them?
did we actually realise because we dont use Origin?

 

[No_Remainders]

So, in other words, Bioware, it was your decision to have an online pass for the multiplayer of Mass Effect 3 (a game which shouldn't have multiplayer in the first place)?

Go away before you disappoint me any more. -.-

 

[Weaver]

Good to know Bioware chose to make DLC platforms that market us shit we don't want in game by choice.

 

[AgentBJ09]

In a recent interview with Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-03-bioware-ea-doesnt-tell-us-what-to-do] BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

Yeah. It sounds plausible given a number of things like how EA had Bioware well before Mass Effect 1 and Dragon Age came out.

However, this doesn't sound very sincere. Especially if, "we are EA, we're BioWare - we're both, and we still have huge autonomy in terms of what we do," is in any way true. By admitting that, they are admitting that part of EA is within their company culture, which directly impacts them.

No matter how they like to spin it, Bioware has some of EA's blood in their veins now, and that does affect the corporate/developmental body to a degree.

 

[Soviet Heavy]

Okay, so does that mean that we can blame Bioware directly for their questionable design choices?

 

[GiantRaven]

This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Because a developer should always stick to making the same genre games in the same rigid ways for years and years. Goddamn you Bioware for making games differently these days!

 

[Quijiboh]

This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

Because a developer should always stick to making the same genre games in the same rigid ways for years and years. Goddamn you Bioware for making games differently these days!

How can you say that when we all know that a game can't be good if it doesn't have enough numbers?

 

[Qitz]

Okay, so does that mean that we can blame Bioware directly for their questionable design choices?

From the sounds of that interview. Yup. Fire away.

 

[Epona]

I am sure they only joined EA so they could share in EA's good name in the industry. I call BS.

 

[JeanLuc761]

This is even worse. They admit to to be themselves responsable for their change from respectable rpg developers, to the creators of hollywood action movies, disguised as rpgs.

I don't think that's fair. Dragon Age and Mass Effect are both exceptional RPG's, but each has a different way of approaching the genre. Dragon Age is a more traditional RPG, while Mass Effect is a hybrid of RPG and TPS. Neither genre is more "valid" than the other.

 

[Therumancer]

In a recent interview with Eurogamer [http://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2011-10-03-bioware-ea-doesnt-tell-us-what-to-do] BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So looks like EA isn't to blame for one Origin fiasco.

What the article doesn't tell you about is the EA hired Hitman who had his sights set on both of the co-founders.

Well, you have to understand that there is no way ANYONE is going to come out and say "yep, we sold out big time... keep that money rolling in". Annoucements like this are intended as PR damage control more or less.

In general you have to judge things by the behaviors you see. Has "Bioware" been acting differnatly and developing differantly since the EA take over? Yes they have. What's more the differances you see are along the lines of the developing practices that people have been criticizing EA for to begin with.

A sell out coming up and saying "I'm not a sell out" doesn't mean much, it's par for the course. While there are exceptions, you need to either expect silence or denial, what's more it's quite possible Bioware itself is in denial over what it's turning into, that happens with those who sell out, especially if it happens gradually from their perspective. Many people have gradually changed, and eventually wound up being everything they professed to hate or set out to diffrentiate themselves from.

 

[AndyFromMonday]

So the shitfest that was Dragon Age 2 was entirely Biowares doing? Well then, even more reasons to stop considering Bioware a good RPG developer. Then again, it's quite obvious EA IS pulling the strings and no amount of PR talk will ever make me believe otherwise.