Massively

BioWare co-founder talks EA's influence, beer, and gamer negativity

Jef Reahard — Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.

BioWare co-founder talks EA's influence, beer, and gamer negativity originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 10 Apr 2013 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR

Larry Everett — Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Events (Massively's Coverage), Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.

Continue reading GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR

GDC 2013: James Ohlen on how F2P saved SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 29 Mar 2013 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Game Archaeologist: Origin stories of modern MMO studios

Justin Olivetti — Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Historical, MMO Industry, The Game Archaeologist, Miscellaneous

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.

Continue reading The Game Archaeologist: Origin stories of modern MMO studios

The Game Archaeologist: Origin stories of modern MMO studios originally appeared on Massively on Sat, 23 Feb 2013 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Greg Zeschuk on leaving BioWare: 'You just get tired of it after a while'

Jef Reahard — Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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."

Greg Zeschuk on leaving BioWare: 'You just get tired of it after a while' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 Jan 2013 08:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs

Larry Everett — Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Opinion, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Anniversaries

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.

Continue reading Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs

Star Wars: The Old Republic, a cautionary tale of breaking into MMOs originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 20 Dec 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR?

Larry Everett — Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

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?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR?

Hyperspace Beacon: Why do I still play SWTOR? originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 16 Oct 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare

Elisabeth Cardy — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.]

Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 03 Oct 2012 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Ex-BioWare dev: Negativity too much for Zeschuk, Muzyka

Jef Reahard — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, MMO Industry, News Items, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.

Ex-BioWare dev: Negativity too much for Zeschuk, Muzyka originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 28 Sep 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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 founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announce retirement originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 18 Sep 2012 14:44:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Greg Zeschuk not leaving BioWare, just General Manager position [Updated]

Shawn Schuster — Fri, 10 Aug 2012 08:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Rumors, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.]

Greg Zeschuk not leaving BioWare, just General Manager position [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 10 Aug 2012 08:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare

Larry Everett — Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Opinion, Rumors, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

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?

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare

Hyperspace Beacon: PR nightmare originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 29 May 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Wars: The Old Republic hit with layoffs [Updated]

Jef Reahard — Tue, 22 May 2012 12:20:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.]

Star Wars: The Old Republic hit with layoffs [Updated] originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 22 May 2012 12:20:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR extends free game time promotion beyond level 50 characters

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Patches, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Promotions

If the news of yesterday's Star Wars: The Old Republic promotion to give level 50 players a month of free game time rubbed some members -- the non-50s, specifically -- the wrong way, then BioWare's on the scene to make amends. The studio announced that it's expanding its Legacy promotion to include a wider range of players.

In addition to applying to any player who's reached level 50, the 30 days of free game time will now be applied to the account of anyone who has reached Legacy Level 6 in the game. This condition requires that a player has unlocked his or her Legacy at the end of Chapter 1 and then achieved six levels across any number of toons (Legacy XP is shared across an account).

Another change to this promotion is that players have over a week to hit either one of these goals. Players now have until 1:00 p.m. EDT on April 22nd to achieve either level 50 on a character or Legacy Level 6 on an account to receive the free month of play.

Following news of yesterday's Legacy promotion, the SWTOR forums exploded with discussion over the topic, with the main discussion thread reaching over 250 pages on the subject.

SWTOR extends free game time promotion beyond level 50 characters originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 13 Apr 2012 19:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO

Jef Reahard — Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, MMO Industry, Opinion, The Soapbox, Sandbox

Disclaimer: The Soapbox column is entirely the opinion of this week's writer and does not necessarily reflect the views of Massively as a whole. If you're afraid of opinions other than your own, you might want to skip this column.

I don't know about you, but I've yet to play Mass Effect 3. This is not by choice, mind you, and now that I've returned from the wilds of last week's GDC, it's time to settle in for another 30-hour tour with Shepard and company.

What does this have to do with MMOs? Well, nothing really, except that BioWare hasn't exactly closed the door on a Mass Effect title. On the contrary, the company's dynamic doctor duo have hinted at the fact that this, ahem, theoretical game would need to be somewhat different from the firm's maiden MMO voyage.

At this point I think an ME MMO is inevitable, so join me after the cut to discuss whether BioWare can really break the mold with its second effort as well as what that effort could look like.

Continue reading The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO

The Soapbox: The inevitable Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Mar 2012 11:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare doctors discuss Mass Effect MMO

Jef Reahard — Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items

The fast-approaching Mass Effect 3 hype bomb doesn't have much to do with MMOs, except maybe it does. Gamespot cornered BioWare doctors Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka and asked the duo point-blank about a Mass Effect MMO, and the answer might surprise you.

"It's daunting, but the neat thing is it would lend itself to a different type of gameplay. It's fun to think about," Zeschuk told the website. Does that mean that the so-called fourth pillar of MMO story won't factor as heavily into the theoretical title as it does in Star Wars: The Old Republic?

It's anyone guess at this point, but Muzyka offers a further fanboy nugget that hints at the possibility of a new direction for BioWare MMOs. "When you deliver a game, and you deliver it for a player, you have to capture what they think is the possibility space," he explains. "You need to let them do everything they think they should do, and you can't block them from doing anything they think they should be able to do. You have to nail all the features and content that should be in that possibility space."

BioWare doctors discuss Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 27 Feb 2012 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours

Jef Reahard — Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Star Wars: The Old Republic players are consuming game content in four- to six-hour sessions on average, according to Kotaku and BioWare bigwig Greg Zeschuk. "When they play, their sessions are absurd," he said recently.

Zeschuk goes on to say both that the retention is a sign of the title's addictive "just-one-more" gameplay and that the firm is pulling an "intense amount of analytics and telemetry" from the title.

Finally, he hints at the theory that most SWTOR players are happy due to a general drop in forum tomfoolery. "You can tell when things are going really well in the game," Zeschuk explains. "The amount of forum chatter drops. People don't go to forums. They just play."

Take that as you will, and let us know how long your average SWTOR session lasts.

BioWare: Average SWTOR play session tops four hours originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 24 Feb 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Force is with SWTOR: EA stock bounces back, budget revealed

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

It seems like everyone is obsessed with the exact amount of money EA spent creating its most expensive title ever, but the Los Angeles Times may have a final number to end the discussion: Apparently, Star Wars: The Old Republic cost $200 million. Other interesting details from the Times' investigation into what it calls a "galactic gamble" include the fact that it was made by 800 people on four continents with an additional 1,000 voice actors (doing three languages) handling 4,000 characters.

The project was such a massive undertaking that BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk likened it to "teaching elephants to do ballet." One of the interesting details of this behind-the-scenes expose is that BioWare said that certain movies and TV miniseries influenced class storylines, such as Big Trouble in Little China for the Smuggler and Band of Brothers for the Trooper.

There's also some good news following yesterday's word of EA's stock hit. MarketWatch reports that several brokers have defended the title, resulting in a 2% bounce back in EA's stock. As part of that, a Pacific Crest analyst raised his predictions of quarter sales for SWTOR from 1.5 to 2.2 million, with 800,000 subscribers. Another analyst claims that over two million units of SWTOR have been sold since launch with an expectation that 75% to 90% of players will stay on as paid subscribers following the first free month.

The Force is with SWTOR: EA stock bounces back, budget revealed originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 20 Jan 2012 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Rakghouls and raging Hutts with SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo

Larry Everett — Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Video, Lore, New Titles, Patches, Previews, PvP, PvE, Interviews (Massively's), Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dungeons

A month after Star Wars: The Old Republic began its official journey in the public eye, the developers of this game-changing MMO are ready to extend the story, which they call the fourth pillar of the MMO genre. In patch 1.1, which also brings the usual round of bug fixes, players will be introduced to a brand-new level 50 flashpoint as well as a completed version of the Karagga's Palace 8-to-16-man operation.

In the official press release for 1.1, BioWare founder Greg Zeschuk notes, "A month ago when we launched the Early Game Access program for Star Wars: The Old Republic, we promised our fans that this would just be the beginning of our journey together." That's all well and good, but we want details. So we rang up BioWare's Gabe Amatangelo to discuss the new flashpoint, Karagga's palace, Ilum, and the future of SWTOR PvP.

Be aware that there will be some minor spoilers, but we'll warn you in advance!

Continue reading Rakghouls and raging Hutts with SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo

Rakghouls and raging Hutts with SWTOR's Gabe Amatangelo originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 12 Jan 2012 12:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Dr. Greg Zeschuk talks about the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic

Eliot Lefebvre — Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Culture, Interviews, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

It's been just about a month since Star Wars: The Old Republic began its early access period, throwing open the doors for players all around the world. But the release wasn't just an interesting point for the many players anticipating the game -- after all, it had been BioWare's big project for many years. Fan site TORwars recently had a chat with Dr. Greg Zeschuk about his thoughts on the game at launch and a look back at what could have gone differently.

As Zeschuk says, there were definitely some aspects of the development that he would do differently if he could go back in time, including expanding the testing schedule and roster. He also shares his stories of getting his character going once the game went live, something that wound up being unexpectedly problematic. It's not filled with world-shattering revelations about the future of the game, but for players who are starting to look back over their first month with the game, it's certainly a nice look at the other side of the fence.

Dr. Greg Zeschuk talks about the launch of Star Wars: The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 09 Jan 2012 21:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare: Mac version of Star Wars: The Old Republic is something it's 'looking at next'

Ben Gilbert — Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic

BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk are quite dedicated to their fans. At least that's a recurring theme for them when talking about their company's moves in new directions, to which both repeatedly referred during a recent interview in midtown Manhattan. "We know there's a big Mac audience of BioWare fans ... we know that's an important and large audience. And we want to serve that audience," Muzyka told me when asked about a potential Mac version of the his company's latest major release, Star Wars: The Old Republic.

"I'd say 'not yet,'" Zeschuk assured me when I told him that, as a BioWare fan, I'm unable to play The Old Republic on my less than two-year-old MacBook. Though Muzyka was quick to remind me that I can technically play the game on a Windows partition, he also admitted that it wasn't an ideal situation. "We've done a lot of Mac ports before of our games. We haven't announced any details yet for The Old Republic, but we know that's an important and large audience."

Neither would offer a strict timetable on the Mac version, but Zeschuk did note, "That's definitely one of the things we're looking at next. We want to get this launch under our belt and everything stabilized and happy, and then we'll look at other platforms, and that's obviously one of the first ones."

BioWare: Mac version of Star Wars: The Old Republic is something it's 'looking at next' originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 02 Jan 2012 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level

Justin Olivetti — Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Interviews, MMO Industry, Free-to-Play, Star Wars: The Old Republic

If BioWare's not in a war against the free-to-play business model, it certainly is skirmishing with the notion that F2P is the only way to go. In speaking with our sister site Joystiq, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk defended the traditional subscription model by saying that it not only works but allows dev teams to achieve games on a larger scale.

Zeschuk mentioned that it was simply a case of the right business model for the right game: "I'm not saying it's better or worse. It just doesn't supplant the other things. 'Cause we can do some things no one else can. The free-to-play people can't invest to the level we can invest, and can't create something of the size and scale of something we can create."

Even with its love of the subscription model for Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is open to free-to-play where it sees fit. Muzyka dropped a tantalizing hint as to the company's F2P aspirations: "We have some other stuff we haven't announced yet coming from our play-for-free team that I'm really excited about. It's gonna bring back some IP that people have a lot of fond memories around."

BioWare's docs: Free-to-play can't invest and create at our level originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 28 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

The Emperor is stuck in a queue? BioWare shall redouble its efforts!

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Game Mechanics, Launches, Star Wars: The Old Republic

Is it a wonderful problem to have when your MMO is so popular that everyone trying to crush through the door at the same time is causing painful queues? Or is it a problematic wonder? Either way, the BioWare live team has been struggling to keep up with demand for Star Wars: The Old Republic access -- but the team may be getting closer to winning the war on wait time.

BioWare's Greg Zeschuk stopped by the forums to assure players that the company is "redoubling its efforts" in tackling the issue. As a result, players should already be seeing quicker access to SWTOR:

We've also being doing our best to get every little bit of possible performance on our servers to increase capacity: We've "turned them up to 11" to do our very best to get you in and playing as quickly as possible. As a result - you should now be seeing significant improvement versus waiting times at the end of last week.

The team is also working on a way to hold players' places in the wait queue in the event of a disconnect.

The Emperor is stuck in a queue? BioWare shall redouble its efforts! originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 23 Dec 2011 15:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Star Wars: The Old Republic's hype train barrels onward

Matt Daniel — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Launches, MMO Industry, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

December 20th is finally here, and Star Wars: The Old Republic is as live as it's going to get. The title's official launch has sent ripples through the interwebs, and MSNBC, Gamasutra, and Kotaku all have new features highlighting various facets of the new title. Gamasutra has a few words with BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk and creative director James Ohlen regarding the game's post-launch strategy. Zeschuk claims that the team is "really busy working on future SWTOR content as well as continuing to improve the service. This will never end." Never is quite a long time, we think, but we'll see how that goes.

Meanwhile, MSNBC sits down with SWTOR's Lead Writer, Daniel Erickson, about BioWare's much-touted story pillar. He claims that the game's 20 writers worked together for a total of over 60 man-years of labor on the game's story and writing. And lastly, Kotaku has another few words with Zeschuk. When asked if SWTOR could potentially make a move to F2P like, say, DC Universe Online, Zeschuk replied, "Free-to-play works best when a game is built that way from the ground up... We're not saying never ever, but we certainly have no plans like that in the foreseeable future." For the full features, click on through the links below.

Star Wars: The Old Republic's hype train barrels onward originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare co-founder and live producer get SWTOR launch day tattoos

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Launches, Humor, Star Wars: The Old Republic

How do you know if a game studio is committed to a title? What if the studio co-founder gets a big ol' tattoo inked on his bicep? Words are cheap, after all; tattoos show you mean business.

This is exactly what BioWare's Greg Zeschuk did recently, and he hopped onto Twitter to show off his new Star Wars: The Old Republic "launch beard and tattoo" to the populace. The tattoo is the hybrid Republic-Empire logo, and was done in full color.

Not to be outdone, Live Producer Cory Butler also took the plunge and got the tattoo as well.

Star Wars: The Old Republic's early access begins today, with the game's official launch slated for December 20th. Don't forget to read up on the game with Massively's SWTOR Launch Guide!

Star Wars: The Old Republic is finally here, and the Force is with Massively! We've prepared a Hutt-sized feast of class introductions, gameplay guides, lore roundups, and hands-on previews to help you navigate the launch period and beyond. And don't forget our weekly SWTOR column, the Hyperspace Beacon!

BioWare co-founder and live producer get SWTOR launch day tattoos originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 13 Dec 2011 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Dungeons

Do you hear that? That's the sound of a million voices who were silenced suddenly freed to share their experiences with Star Wars: The Old Republic. That's because BioWare has officially lifted the non-disclosure agreement (NDA) allowing testers to talk about the game.

BioWare VP Greg Zeschuk posted the announcement just minutes ago on the forums:

As of now, the non-disclosure portion of our Game Testing Agreement is officially lifted. While all players must still accept the Game Testing Agreement, from this point on testers may now freely talk about their experiences this past weekend in the game, as well as post screenshots and gameplay videos of their testing experiences. We encourage you to come join us on the official Star Wars[TM]: The Old Republic[TM] Forums to share your experiences!

The Star Wars: The Old Republic community site will have a copy of this message on the forums and it will also appear in the Patcher. Players may not talk about nor reprint posts from our testing forums as they are still fully covered by the confidentiality portions of our Game Testing Agreement. And all players who want to participate in the upcoming Beta Test Weekends still have to accept all terms of the Game Testing Agreement. So, other than that, free feel to talk about and share your experiences in Star Wars: The Old Republic.

If all that wasn't exciting enough, the dev team also released articles covering the flashpoint Bringing Down the Hammer, the book, The Art and Making of The Old Republic, and the Legacy system, which allows for a family last name shared across characters.

SWTOR lifts NDA and reveals Legacy system, new flashpoint, art book originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 18 Nov 2011 14:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

SWTOR beta participants log one meeeeellion hours of testing

Jef Reahard — Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST

Filed under: Betas, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

If it seemed like everyone and their dog got in on last weekend's Star Wars: The Old Republic beta event, well, they did. BioWare invited tens of thousands of Star Wars fans to the TOR testing party, and probably a few Star Trek fans and the blue glowy spirits of dearly departed Jedi Knights as well. The mass invites are designed to strain the servers prior to the game's December 15th launch date, and BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk says this is just the beginning.

"One crazy number is we had over a million hours of testing over the weekend. It was a huge test, and there are even bigger ones coming. The key thing is for us to take those learnings, apply them and make the service really stable. We're happy with the game," Zeschuk told Eurogamer.

Zeschuk and his BioWare cohorts aren't exactly raising pinkies to lips like an overconfident supervillain, though. "Everyone's cautiously optimistic. We're all very paranoid," Zeschuk said, before going on to explain how BioWare will carefully control TOR's launch availability to ensure a smooth experience.

SWTOR beta participants log one meeeeellion hours of testing originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 16 Nov 2011 13:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR

Jef Reahard — Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

As Star Wars: The Old Republic's release date looms larger on the calendar, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk are starting to be seen with increasing frequency on the PR circuit. The latest sighting comes courtesy of The Gaming Liberty, and the dynamic doctor duo offers up some interesting commentary on SWTOR and the logic behind setting up BioWare's new customer service center in Ireland rather than Canada or the U.S.

There's a "fair, reasonable tax and regulatory structure the government here [in Ireland] has provided for us which creates an entrepreneurial environment [...] which is a big bonus," Muzyka explains.

The interview also touches on lore inspirations for both The Old Republic and the classic single-player Knights of the Old Republic RPG, as well as the team's confidence in its new massively multiplayer product. "One of the most common things we're already hearing is that people seem to find it hard to go back to other MMOs once they play The Old Republic," Muzyka said.

BioWare says gamers find it hard to go back to other MMOs after playing SWTOR originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 17 Oct 2011 18:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare founders: We make the decisions, not EA

Jef Reahard — Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

BioWare has a message for critical fans who blame the company's perceived inadequacies on its corporate overlords at Electronic Arts. "I always chuckle because we are EA, we're BioWare -- we're both, and we still have huge autonomy in terms of what we do," co-founder Greg Zeschuk recently told Eurogamer.

Zeschuk and partner Ray Muzyka cover a lot of ground during the sit-down, and the docs indicate that they still play BioWare's games despite delegating day-to-day development duties to various project leads. "Most of our games, before we ship them, we finish them several times. The Old Republic, we're probably at that level or higher, in terms of hours," Zeschuk says.

Times have changed though, as both men acknowledge that today's BioWare is not the same company that made Neverwinter Nights or MDK2. "Way, way back, years ago, we didn't even consider those [commercial elements], we just made stuff," Zeschuk explains.

BioWare founders: We make the decisions, not EA originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 03 Oct 2011 13:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, New Titles, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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 open to the possibility of a Mass Effect MMO originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 30 Sep 2011 14:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare's Doctors: 'We have an aggressive post-launch plan'

Justin Olivetti — Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Business Models, Interviews, Launches, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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's Doctors: 'We have an aggressive post-launch plan' originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 27 Sep 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare: The Old Republic will be 'one of the biggest launches ever in the history of gaming'

Justin Olivetti — Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, Launches, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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: The Old Republic will be 'one of the biggest launches ever in the history of gaming' originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 26 Aug 2011 09:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Interview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk details studio philosophy and more

Matt Daniel — Thu, 19 May 2011 16:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.

Interview with BioWare's Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk details studio philosophy and more originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 19 May 2011 16:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

Hyperspace Beacon: Rule of many

Larry Everett — Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, Opinion, Star Wars: The Old Republic, Hyperspace Beacon

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.

Continue reading Hyperspace Beacon: Rule of many

Hyperspace Beacon: Rule of many originally appeared on Massively on Tue, 01 Mar 2011 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare: WoW is the "touchstone" for The Old Republic

Jef Reahard — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST

Filed under: World of Warcraft, Fantasy, Sci-Fi, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: 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.

BioWare: WoW is the "touchstone" for The Old Republic originally appeared on Massively on Thu, 10 Feb 2011 10:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare doctors "disappointed" in EA Louse

Jef Reahard — Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, Interviews, MMO Industry, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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.

BioWare doctors "disappointed" in EA Louse originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 05 Nov 2010 12:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO

Shawn Schuster — Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, MMO Industry, News Items

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.

Baldur's Gate was almost an MMO originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 16 Aug 2010 19:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare "aggressively" exploring new MMO development

Rubi Bayer — Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST

Filed under: Events (Real-World), MMO Industry, News Items

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.

BioWare "aggressively" exploring new MMO development originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 14 Jul 2010 15:30:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

E3 reveal: Player spaceships and PvP Battlegrounds in SWTOR!

Larry Everett — Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:15:00 EST

Filed under: Sci-Fi, New Titles, News Items, Star Wars: The Old Republic

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!

E3 reveal: Player spaceships and PvP Battlegrounds in SWTOR! originally appeared on Massively on Mon, 14 Jun 2010 19:15:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare talks Warhammer Online's forthcoming expansions

Kyle Horner — Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST

Filed under: Fantasy, Expansions, Warhammer Online, News Items

In a recent GDC 2010 interview with UGO, BioWare's Dr. Ray Muzyka said of Warhammer Online, "Right now it's [a] really profitable business unit within my group." Muzyka went on to say they've actually seen more people come into the game since enacting the free-to-play model on the game's earlier levels, and that he personally felt they were working.

In fact, by the sounds of it, Warhammer Online is due for some interesting announcements in the future. Another of Muzyka's comments on the title was, "We have new content planned and all kinds of cool expansions for it." We don't know how much more clear cut a message can be than that. And hey, it's good news! We're looking forward to our playable Skaven and Lizardmen, Mythic and BioWare.

BioWare talks Warhammer Online's forthcoming expansions originally appeared on Massively on Fri, 19 Mar 2010 10:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments

BioWare's Greg Zeschuk on the Mythic merge

James Egan — Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST

Filed under: Interviews, MMO Industry

The merging of BioWare with Mythic Entertainment announced in June created a combined RPG and MMO group within Electronic Arts, and since then we've been wondering what will come of this pairing. Chris Remo at Gamasutra interviewed BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk about his role as a Creative Officer for the new RPG/MMO group, which sheds a little more light on the inner workings of this new division.

The interview subject matter is heavier on RPG discussion than it is on MMOs, but Zeschuk gives readers a look into how the BioWare-Mythic "merger" is working out so far. It also touches upon the company's continued focus on the PC platform. Check out "Building Experiences the BioWare Way: Greg Zeschuk Speaks" at Gamasutra to read about BioWare's approach to making games in a constantly changing industry.

BioWare's Greg Zeschuk on the Mythic merge originally appeared on Massively on Wed, 30 Sep 2009 16:00:00 EST. Please see our terms for use of feeds.

Read | Permalink | Email this | Comments