BioWare is a mature and strong company, with game franchises like Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect and Baldur’s Gate under its belt. While the studio has fallen under a bit of scrutiny due to the controversial Mass Effect 3 ending and the questionable longevity of Star Wars: The Old Republic, BioWare is still one of the most powerful and influential developers in the industry. It is because of this power and influence that BioWare has managed to evade the fate of fellow Electronic Arts companies like Pandemic.
In an interview with Polygon, Dr. Zeschuk talks about surviving the “well meaning but vigorous” corporate culture at EA, which he characterizes as a “bear hug.”
Fair or not, EA is often identified as one of the most universally disliked publishers in the gaming industry. In fact, gamers went so far as to vote it the worst company in America. The company’s “bear hug” has lead to the closure of once great studios like Origin and Pandemic, leaving many gamers to view EA’s business practices as unfair and destructive more so than “well meaning.”
Dr. Zeschuk discusses how he and his longtime friend, Dr. Myzuka, made sure BioWare would remain stable, even after their departure.
When asked what actually factored into their finally deciding to leave BioWare - whether it was the negative fan reactions to Mass Effect 3 and The Old Republic or the “EA bear hug” closing in on them - Dr. Zeschuk simply said it was everything all at once.
To see what Dr. Zeschuk is up to now, head over to his new website, The Beer Diaries.
Ranters, what do you think about Dr. Zeschuk’s take on the “EA Bear Hug”? Do you still have faith in BioWare now that Zeschuk and Myzuka have moved on? Leave your thoughts in the comments below.
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Source: Polygon
