EA merges Mythic and Bioware into one group

[Yeti]

http://kotaku.com/5302069/ea-combines-mythic-and-bioware-into-a-giant-rpg-robot

EA is merging their two top roleplaying game developers, BioWare and Mythic, into one massive RPG group, with BioWare's co-founder Ray Muzyka taking the lead and Mythic's Mark Jacobs taking a powder.

Creating what is effectively a massively multiplayer RPG development juggernaut, EA has tapped Muzukya to become Group General Manager of their new RPG/MMO Group, with fellow BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk acting as Group Creative Officer. With the departure of Mythic's Mark Jacobs, Mythic co-founder Rob Denton will step up as the General Manager of Mythic, reporting directly to Muzukya. BioWare's operations will remain unchanged.

So in effect, EA has handed the reins of Mythic over to BioWare, blurring the lines between the two entities by organizing them under one group. It's sad to see Mark Jacobs go, as he was a major contributor to the success of Dark Age of Camelot and Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, but it should be very interesting to see what direction WAR travels in now that Dr. Ray is at the helm.

yup.

[Joe Molotov]

Sounds like Star Wars: The Old Republic is stinking it up, and EA's trying to get some of the DAoC\Warhammer Online people in there to salvage it.

[The Fake Shemp]

Then why let Mark Jacobs go?

[Great Rumbler]

Yeah, it sounds more like Mythic was stinking it up and they're hoping that Bioware will whip them into shape.

[Cyanista]

I'm excited for Dragon Age.  I was crushed when I found out there'd be no Baldur's Gate 3.  CRUSHED.

[ManaByte]

Warhammer Online shuttered by the time KOTOR is released. Watch. EA can't commit to a MMO that's bleeding subs.

[pilonv1]

warhammer had a good run

no wait..

[Joe Molotov]

I'm excited for Dragon Age.  I was crushed when I found out there'd be no Baldur's Gate 3.  CRUSHED.

Who has the gaming rights r/t Hasbro things?  Bioware needs to get those D&D rights back, seriously.

Atari has had the D&D franchise since Interplay went kaput.

[ManaByte]

Speculation on MMO blogs is that WAR failed to meet the numbers Jacobs promised to EA so they shitcanned him.

[pilonv1]

not overly suprising. not all his fault either but someone has to take the blame

[ManaByte]

not overly suprising. not all his fault either but someone has to take the blame

WAR has some of the EXACT same issues DAOC has faced for a long time. Instead of addressing them, Mythic has continued to work with a 2004 mindset where, in their reality, WOW doesn't exist so they can just run WAR like it's DAOC2. Since Jacobs ran Mythic and acted as Lead Fucking Designer on WAR; I'd say it's his fault.

[Ganhyun]

Honestly I don't see an MMO taking away alot of WoW's userbase anytime soon. The first one I can see doing it or at least making people split time is FFIV Online, just because those who played XI will go to it and those who got tired of XI and play WoW now will prob try it out and some will end up staying.

[Cormacaroni]

I'm excited for Dragon Age.  I was crushed when I found out there'd be no Baldur's Gate 3.  CRUSHED.

Who has the gaming rights r/t Hasbro things?  Bioware needs to get those D&D rights back, seriously.

Atari has had the D&D franchise since Interplay went kaput.

Is this why Neverwinter is published by Atari? Hmm. Still, shouldn't be too much of an obstacle to rent the rights to do BG3...or just have it done by the Neverwinter guys. And the console versions still used D&D rules & setting, right? I don't see how this can be a major issue if they really want to do a sequel. (which i really really want them to do). I think they're just more into making their own IP. I'm sure they'd love to do Mass Effect movies and such.

[ManaByte]

Honestly I don't see an MMO taking away alot of WoW's userbase anytime soon. The first one I can see doing it or at least making people split time is FFIV Online, just because those who played XI will go to it and those who got tired of XI and play WoW now will prob try it out and some will end up staying.

At its height, FFXI had about 500,000 or so subs. FFXIV is no threat to WoW.

[ToxicAdam]

Not a big fan of Bioware, but with the absolute death of Western RPG makers .. it's about all we have. Hopefully more people will help them push out their garbage quicker.

[Great Rumbler]

it's about all we have.

Well, not quite.

[Eel O'Brian]

I can see DC Univers Online doing really well.  Everything I've read so far indicates that it's less MMORPG and more "Crackdown with a bunch of other people"

[Cyanista]

Not a big fan of Bioware, but with the absolute death of Western RPG makers .. it's about all we have. Hopefully more people will help them push out their garbage quicker.

You, sir, are a heathen.



PS DC Universe online is being done by SOE, right?  Going to suck.   I'll PLAY, but it's going to suck.

[Eel O'Brian]

early hands-on impressions have been pretty favorable, though, so maybe...?