EA buys Bioware

[Krookie]

I still like Bioware.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Krookie

[Guard Dog]

I'm not pessimistic by nature but I'm finding myself in agreement with Sand on this one. It is impossible to say what Bioware's future is or how much EA will control it, but based on past performance this move is not a good thing for Bioware fans.

[Sand]

I'm not pessimistic by nature but I'm finding myself in agreement with Sand on this one. It is impossible to say what Bioware's future is or how much EA will control it, but based on past performance this move is not a good thing for Bioware fans.

 

Exactly. Learn from the past or otherwise you will make the same mistakes as those before you. Bioware failed to see EA's past and now will die like those before them.

[Pidesco]

I don't care half as much for Bioware's games as I did a few years ago, so I'm not really worried about whatever happens to them. This won't make their games any better, though.

[Krookie]

I don't see it making them any worse.

[Sand]

Like I said, give it 12 to 18 months and we'll see.

[Pidesco]

Well, yes, but my point is that this seems to be a pointless move for the company. They do fine on their own in terms of production, financing and sales. Their games are becoming repetitive, but of course, that's beside the point when it doesn't affect sales

 

I can however see the point for Muzyka and Zeschuk:

 

[Hurlshort]

EA has been working pretty hard to right the ship in the last couple years, so I don't see this as a negative at all. You realy think it was better when Microsoft was publishing Bioware's titles? Bioware is a big profitable developer and it's doubtful EA will do much to change that. There are already a couple developers in EA's stable that do very well and don't get much interference from the publisher. Also, I don't know what Daikin is talking about with DICE, they are sticking with a profitable franchise and they do a great job of implementing new concepts in each one. If I remember correctly, they already are at work on a different type of game and EA is supporting that decision.

[Pop]

I suppose it's better than the rumored MS buyout.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this was an attempt by EA to improve their image. They've been trying lately to dispel the whole "make the same game over and over again" stigma. Besides, there are bigger and uglier things. Like Activision. Or Nintendo.

 

It's actually a good thing concerning exclusivity, as has been mentioned. EA has never seen a platform it didn't want to expand to (although I have some reservations about the end product of a team that's working over multiple platforms at the same time as opposed to a single platform development) So the wailing children are at least likely to get ME and its sequels on the PC. They put ****in' C&C3 on the 360, for God's sake (although I hear it wasn't a terrible port)

Edited October 11, 2007 by Pop

[Pidesco]

I suppose it's better than the rumored MS buyout.

 

I wouldn't be surprised if this was an attempt by EA to improve their image. They've been trying lately to dispel the whole "make the same game over and over again" stigma. Besides, there are bigger and uglier things. Like Activision. Or Nintendo.

 

but doesn't Bio make the same game over and over again?

[Kelverin]

but doesn't Bio make the same game over and over again?

Which explains this deal, since EA makes the same sports games year after year with mostly cosmetic changes along with roster updates. Sounds like a match made in heaven.

[Pidesco]

Prepare for Mass Effect 2023!

[Pop]

I'm more than willing to overlook Jade Empire. Never happened. And I'm excited for ME.

[Pop]

BLARGH

Edited October 11, 2007 by Pop

[Draikin]

Riccitello was the CEO of Elevation Partners before, and he and Doctors got along pretty well.

The doctors are rich, they dont care about the quality of their games or if their employees will be unhappy and leave. Same for Riccitello.

And you know that exactly? I always got the impression Ray & Greg really do care about the company and continuously try to improve it. Not caring means to me like "Interplay", or "Herve Cain".

They've been dumbing down their games for years in order to reach the mass market and sell their company. Bioware is strong enough to stay independant and they can easily find publishers for their games, that's an ideal situation if you ask me. But EA paid 775$ million for Pandemic and Bioware. There is nothing positive to gain for Bioware as a company but it's a great financial operation for the doctors.

 

The Guillemot family has been fighting for two years against EA: they dont want EA to take control of Ubisoft, they try to protect their employees. There are so many taxes in France, everyone knows EA would close Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Montpellier as soon as they take control.

Bungie had to sell their company to stay alive and they fought their way to independance again. That's something I can understand and I'm sure Jason Jones is a real gamer.

[Pidesco]

http://forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic...rum=22&sp=0

 

 

There's already a huge sh!tstorm over at Bio's forums over this stuff. Ha Ha!

[Tale]

I think Draikin makes one good point. I think people would have a hard time naming concrete benefits to a succesful company like Bioware from this. Well, aside from it giving Dragon Age a publisher.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Tale

[Morgoth]

The Guillemot family has been fighting for two years against EA: they dont want EA to take control of Ubisoft, they try to protect their employees. There are so many taxes in France, everyone knows EA would close Ubisoft Paris and Ubisoft Montpellier as soon as they take control.

Bungie had to sell their company to stay alive and they fought their way to independance again. That's something I can understand and I'm sure Jason Jones is a real gamer.

They fought so hard for their independence! Oh gawd! Like the new French revolution of Ubisoft!

 

You do know know that while Bungie has become independent again, they still will continue to work with MS, possibly even on a Halo4?

[Azarkon]

Personally speaking, the only game that I was really looking forwards to from Bioware was Dragon Age, and the fate of that game was never quite certain. So, like before, I shall wait and see.

 

Hope Obsidian doesn't get acquired any time soon, though.

[Draikin]

from the conference call - http://kotaku.com/gaming/liveblogging/eas-...call-309944.php

Frank Gibeau, president of the games label, said EA expects games to be created in "10 plus" franchises as well as the MMO that Bioware's Austin office is working on.

 

Of the ten plus franchises there are many titles that have not yet been announced but will be in the near future. They do include Jade Empire, Mass Effect, Mercenaries, Saboteur, Neverwinter Knights and several others.

 

EA said Bioware and Pandemic have several titles that have been targeted for the DS and the Wii.

 

The dialog engine in Mass Effect which could be used for other games in the future.

Sequels, Wii+DS for profitability, Re-using engine for profitability ... sounds like the usual EA buyout.

 

wow, It's 860$ million and they expect to be profitable by 2010. I think a lot of games will be rushed to achieve that, Bioware devs should also get ready to work 80 hours per week.

Edited October 11, 2007 by Draikin

[Tale]

EA won't be getting Neverwinter Nights, will they? I thought that was a license granted to Atari.

[aries101]

Yes, there is rather heated discussion about this at the Bioware forums

 

http://forums.bioware.com/forums/viewtopic...rum=22&sp=0

 

Interestingly it is that not one Bioware dev. has come aboard the thread to say that this is just a rumour...

 

Here's a web article about this:

 

http://sanfrancisco.bizjournals.com/sanfra...08/daily43.html

 

I sincerely hope this is just a scam and a rumour, but you'll never know which rumours on the internet are true or not.

As others have pointed out, I don't understand this. Bioware is big enough to make it on their own. They have gotten some big publishing deals with Microsoft with whom Bioware has said they have a good relationship with. But I guess money talks and the good doctors took a taxi to the dark side with all that money.

 

I fear for Dragon Age's as well as the Sonic RPG's fate. Either they will be cancelled or they will be made into wii games ort action console or pc games...

 

But we'll see...

 

edit:

 

No, EA won't be getting their hands on Newerwinter Nights as Hasbro has given the D&D license to Atari as as publisher and probably Obsidian? as a developer.

 

/aries101

Edited October 11, 2007 by aries101

[Gromnir]

in no particular order, the following is jobs Gromnir would not wish 'pon our worstest enemy... if we had enemies.

 

1) picking cotton in mississippi in 1800s... assuming you is black

 

2) hospice caregiver... watching over dying people who gots 0 hope is soul numbing

 

3) sweatshop employee in se asia... making shoes for kathy lee gives you life span similar to second lieutenant in russian army on ww2 eastern front, w/o advantage of the possibility of taking down some krauts before you die.

 

4) grad student... 'cause it is the only kinda legalized slavery left in USA post civil war amendments

 

5) game development for ea... is similar to grad student, but sans perk of a degree waiting for all those andy dufresnes crawling through their personal 1/4 mile o' $%#*.

 

*shrug*

 

HA! Good Fun!

Edited October 11, 2007 by Gromnir

[Morgoth]

Sequels, Wii+DS for profitability, Re-using engine for profitability ... sounds like the usual EA buyout.

Don't want a Wii title? Don't buy one. They have other products (platforms) in development too. Making Wii and DS games in addition is not the end of the world.

 

wow, It's 860$ million and they expect to be profitable by 2010. I think a lot of games will be rushed to achieve that.

By 2010 Pandemic + Bioware will have at least 5 products, perhaps more released. What's so hard about that to understand?

[Azarkon]

It's no surprise that Morgoth, Lord of Darkness, would champion EA