14 DAY TRIAL // Many people felt a deep pain when Bioware was acquired by Electronic Arts, with lots of them fearing the fact that the studio might loose its edge and even disband under EA leadership. But with a MMO in development and a Sonic themed RPG in queue as well, Bioware seems to be thriving. The success of their latest game, the sci-fi saga Mass Effect, provides further proof that life under EA rule has been good.
Speaking to Eurogamer, Ray Muzyka, the boss of the studio, said that the main thing that Bioware wants to bring to MMOs is innovation. But there's a balance to be struck between the new stuff and the traditional elements of MMOs, as Ray was quick to point out that "We still have great reverence for a lot the great games, but we're also trying to add some new things."
Bioware has history of crafting intense storylines and unique characters, that goes back to their massive success that was Baldur's Gate and the other games set in the Forgotten Realms fantasy universe. And the company will try to offer gamers the same depth of story and epic feel in its upcoming MMO project. Muzyka said: "Like all Bioware games, we're focusing on story, customization, exploration, combat... I think it would be really exciting to be able to play a game which has character depth and interaction and story in a way that works within social settings". There was initial speculation that the Bioware MMO could be Star Wars themed, but now those rumors are beginning to look hollow, as rumor is building that Mass Effect could be adapted to the MMO genre.
The MMO development cycle is more time consuming and more resource hungry, so Bioware needed to have full backing from Electronic Arts before beginning development. While their MMO is being created from scratch, the studio is also busy putting the finishing touches on Dragon Age, the RPG that is billed as the "spiritual successor" to Baldur's Gate and Neverwinter Nights.
The company is also working on Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood, using an intellectual property that is pretty surprising for Bioware. SEGA US boss and former LucasArts president Simon Jeffery was the one that got Muzyka interested in the Sonic franchise and the head of Bioware says that the game provides ample opportunities for them to innovate.