Ray Muzyka & Greg Zeschuk retire from Bioware.

[Pugbot]

This can't be unexpected news.

EA ruins everything.

Its like when you drop the thanksgiving turkey on the floor after taking it out of the oven and all the hot bird juice spills over your feet. EA is like the bird juice on your feet, with crap.

[Wilian]

Twenty years is by no means "short term" in the video game industry.

Yeah, I might've been over reaching there but that's because we're already in 2010+ region. But 1990's aren't that far off.

Anyone who's been actually been watching EA from 1990' on has noticed this certain princible, where they buy really well doing studio with well selling IP, force them to make quick sequel and then when it doesn't manage to do as well as the original well made product they dismantle the studio.

And it's not just a "conspiracy" against them as many would like to blame it. There's more studios that made games still remembered today that were bought by EA and then rammed down than fingers in hand.

[Shadylol]

I can't say I'm surprised after SWTOR. The unfortunate situation of Dragon Age 2, and Mass Effect 3 obviously didn't help things, either

I have a love for the old BioWare still, but after SWTOR, I can't say I'm sad to see these two go. I won't buy anymore games from that company (or probably anything published by EA at this point), anyway, but it's nice to see acknowledgement that mistakes were made

[Mister K]

Well, there just went my hopes for another decent RPG to come from Bioware.

I have the same feeling, said it in the ME3 thread. I think the quality may possibly go down, it already has slightly anyway.

[Khoranth]

Seriously, has EA ever done anything good in the RPG industry?

[Sj]

Brett Favre said he was retiring from football a couple of times. Just saying.

[Low Hanging Fruit]

Wish them the best of luck in the future and I am sure they will take a break for a whole minute or two. But that is totally satisfactory with me since they have been involved with a soulless corporation like EA. Not to mention the drama of SWTOR not adding up to its hype combined with how the fans flipped out on the Mass Effect 3 ending all kind of happening at once. Those development cycles were long, and not to mention gurgling, and seeing them not going the way they had hoped I can see why they would hang it up.

Most likely for the best though. Maybe when they both get a bounce back in their step they can start some projects spinning again without the evil overlord known as EA pushing them to release NOW (now now now now) and forcing them to make half the game held back so you can nickle and dime your loyal fan base with DLCs later on down the road. IF that ever happens I hope they don't sell out again to the mega corporate bull shit wagon.. or at least I hope it happens eventually and they don't. A man can dream.

Edit in:
Long live the real Bioware!

[Wælcyrie]

Seriously, has EA ever done anything good in the RPG industry?

The first couple of Sims games before 2010? XDD

They was so fun.

[Mister K]

Brett Favre said he was retiring from football a couple of times. Just saying.

So did Michael Schumacher with the formula racing. In terms of Game Development, its rather different most times.

[Shinzai]

So... I guess that Dragon Age 3 is going to be a Soul Calibur knock off at this rate.

[worldalpha]

The leave the game industry a whole lot richer than when the started into it!

[Shadylol]

Brett Favre said he was retiring from football a couple of times. Just saying.

Lol

Professional Football field positions, and video game design management aren't really comparable, neither is the success of Favre compared to that of Myzuka and Zeschuck. These guys have the credentials to get a new job in the game industry if they want too, obviously, but they'll probably be taking a big step down, and definitely won't have the same influence where they did as the founders of a company. Most developers that are already big and successful won't really want these two, after BioWare's lackluster performance lately

They're also past their prime, and probably won't be founding another company, and if they do it likely won't do very well. I doubt they would want to anyway, though. After you've built something from the ground up with your bare hands, you don't want to do it again when you're 20 years older, with actual experience, and a jaded outlook

[Sj]

Lol

Professional Football field positions, and video game design management aren't really comparable, neither is the success of Favre compared to that of Myzuka and Zeschuck. These guys have the credentials to get a new job in the game industry if they want too, obviously, but they'll probably be taking a big step down, and definitely won't have the same influence where they did as the founders of a company. Most developers that are already big and successful won't really want these two, after BioWare's lackluster performance lately

They're also past their prime, and probably won't be founding another company, and if they do it likely won't do very well. I doubt they would want to anyway, though. After you've built something from the ground up with your bare hands, you don't want to do it again when you're 20 years older, with actual experience, and a jaded outlook

Oh I know there's no comparison beyond just retirement. Now that I've read their farewells, I think they probably did retire of their own accord. They do seem ready to start a new chapter and move on. Can't hate on anything that has to do with craft beer.

[Deficineiron]

They said they were exiting the game industry.

very possible they have non-competes.

[namelessone]

Well, maybe they'll join the rest of the RPG geniuses in Obsidian... or maybe they'll go back to medical practice, which would be kinda weird after Dragon Age/Mass Effect.

[Deleted]

Bioware had such a good name going for them.

It started going downhill with DA2. SWTOR turned out to be the biggest flop in MMO history, and ME3 left a sour taste in everyone's mouth.

I can never look at Bioware seriously again lol.

[Ravenblade]

I am usually very worried when a company hinged on key personalities and their influence really. The same is happening in this case. A lot companies encounter an identity crisis but it's not uncommon to carry on and find a successful path to walk on again.

However I have to say they both had some rather...interesting views on some things. Remember Greg's 'Button-Awesomeness' or how RPGs are "becoming less relevant"? It seems both have reached an end when it came to passion for the industrial genre of video-gaming which to some isn't totally unexpected not because of some weird statements in the past but because when you have reached already some zenithal achievements then you are eventually at a point where you can't simply do better unless you hand over the reigns whose not afraid of trying without reaching/having to go through an identity crisis which may hurt the company in the long run. Or in short: They quit before getting burned out and frustrated of their jobs.

Seems their new jobs are indeed very different to say the last (ethical investment and beer). At least it shows they still got some passion for something

[Remilia]

Could be some kind of clause that was forged when they sold Bioware to EA that if they leave the company before x amount of years they can't work in the business for x amount of time.

That would be one hell of a messed up and unlawful clause that basically is a violation of their rights.

Whatever they're doing I suppose best of luck to them and kinda sucks for Bioware =\
Though EA has been screwing it over for a while.... -.-............

[hellboyy]

they are medical doctors. with the money they made from their games they can easily do something very interesting in medical research.

the way the games industry is focused on profits and churning out crap these days, leaving the industry and doing something completely different feels a lot more stimulating.

[Osmeric]

very possible they have non-competes.

Indeed, although I have no information on that. In some states, aren't non-compete clauses in contracts considered unenforceable, though?