BioWare's Founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka Retire

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Richard Walker

BioWare co-founders and recognisable video game industry figureheads, Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk have announced that they're to depart the company that they founded together, with neither suggesting that a return to video games is on the cards in the foreseeable future.

"After nearly two decades in videogames, I’ve decided to move on to pursue an entirely different set of challenges," Muzyka declared in his parting statement on the BioWare blog. "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."

Both Zeschuk and Muzyka have written lengthy statements about their decision to retire from BioWare, with current General Manager of BioWare in Edmonton and Montreal, Aaryn Flynn sharing his thoughts on the pair's departure and the future of the Mass Effect and Dragon Age developer.

"I know this might be concerning for some of you but the leaders at BioWare have had some time to think about it – to think about how the games, the fans, and the creative teams would move on without the two guys who started this organization back in 1995. We – including Ray and Greg – think the studio is solid and the team here is ready to embark on a whole new era of games," Flynn writes, noting that next on the cards for BioWare is Dragon Age III: Inquisition in late 2013 and Mass Effect 3 's Omega DLC this fall.

"Writing a note like this is something one imagines doing once in a lifetime, if at all. The experience of following a dream, achieving it and along the way working with the most talented, passionate and engaging people imaginable isn’t something I’m likely going to repeat again," said Zeschuk. "Building BioWare over the years with Ray and the many other people involved was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’ll cherish it always."

You can read Greg Zeschuk, Ray Muzyka and Aaryn Flynn's statements in full over on the BioWare Blog. We wish both Zeschuk and Muzyka all the best for the future.

Comments
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  • This is hardley a suprise. The early handling of the Mass Effect 3 Ending - rightly or wrong, depending on your view - has damaged Bioware's PR image greatly. I'd say these guys have been wise and got out while they can before it damages their individual reputations. I hate to say it, but we seem to be witnessing the fall of Bioware
  • On the plus side... Omega DLC!
  • LOL, yep, My best franchise, Mass Effect 3 recieves THAT kind of response and I'd retire too!
  • @1 if people put up with being rip off in away by Bethesda with games like Skyrim (Not the game its self the mess it was in or is still in?) , i hardly think the ending of ME3 has damage Bioware in any way. Maybe by words but what good are words when no one acts up on them, i can bet you now Bioware will be still going strong in years to come. Single player DLC anyone?
  • Totally with #4 on this one
  • No wonder they're retiring after seeing how the quality of their name as been sinking like a ship since EA bought them, or can anyone honestly say the Bioware games have become much better since the merge...?
  • "An ending for the BioWare duo." Did they pick the blue ending, red ending, or green ending?
  • Arrr...I don't buy it, I am sure they will still do video games. Kickstarter, here i come - or something like that :>
  • Good, another step towards the pit for Bioware. What pit, you ask? The one where EA keeps the bodies of Pandemic, Mythic, Westwood, and where it left Origin before skinning it and parading it around on a stick known as digital distribution. These two guys have done nothing to stop Bioware from disintegrating under EA rule, so this is merely them saving their own skin. Failed captains is what they are. And Aaryn Flynn is an even bigger tool, going as far as insulting his customers on Twitter during the Jennifer "Hamburger Helper" Hepler debacle, focused on a writer can't decide whether she's more hamfisted or fanboyish. Oh, and she insulted everyone who criticised her. Welp, look at Overstrike ----> Fuse. In a couple of years, we'll see Insomniac dying as well (I know they are in the partner program, but still solely dependent on EA, who can cancel games on a whim. Just look at how Activision got rid of UFG and Sleeping Dogs.
  • They must have got a "special" ending that was not blue or red...
  • Hope this doesn't affect Dragon Age 3.
  • I can't help but think that the way some gamers have started to act had something to do with decision. All you have to do is visit the Bioware forums and see all the negativity there when certain people don't get the game they want or expect. Gaming isn't supposed to be about that. For someone who's been gaming for 30+ years i thought the outcry at the Mass Effect 3 ending was an embarrassment. That was Bioware's game to decide how it ended, not gamers, and the fact that Bioware had to cowtow to them sickened me. When people who don't understand making games start having that much of a say it's not good for innovation. Don't think other developers didn't see this and start to realize which way the wind is starting to blow when gamers start having this large of an effect on a game. In any case i wish them the best in their new endeavors.
  • Good riddance. Sell outs.
  • @12, Gamers are consumers, remember? If a bakery makes bread that's not to our liking, are we supposed to shut up and chow down too? Nope! Also, don't defend multimillion Dollar businesses. Seriously. Gaming "journalists" do that enough already.
  • I wish them well, but this will only bring about EA totally taking over.
  • Bioware games have steadily deteriated in quality since EA have got more and more involved - Mass Effect 3 and Dragon Age 2 being prime examples. If EA hadn't got involved perhaps these 2 guys would have stayed at the helm and the games would have maintained they're quality. EA see great games, get involved, and then turn them in to something with mass market appeal by adding things like multi player which is not what the original game concept was about. They appear to be doing the same with other developers games i.e. Dead Space - 3rd person horror and which over the sequels has now become 3rd person shooter, added multiplayer and finally co-op. All of this comes down to one thing for EA - making money. However, you can't blame these 2 guys for taking the money when EA came along - after all, who in their right mind would turn down cash EA probably offered? I hope they do continue with games again in the future and bring out the type of stuff they did before.
  • Bioware screwed up big time with Dragon Age 2 and with ME3 (and to a lesser degree with ME2) so the fact they're leaving comes as no surprise.
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