EA buys Bioware (and Pandemic)

[takyris]

Rather, what have they done lately that doesn't give them stability? They're one of, if not THE, most respected companies out there.

I dunno. Not publishing a major game since 2005 might have had something to do with it.

BioWare needed a consistent publisher that wasn't going to tie the company to one platform exclusively (the 360, for example), and EA needed to build some cred as a company that puts out more than Madden sequels and racing games.

I am not going into this blind. While you guys risk losing out on a new game once a year or so if EA destroys BioWare, the risk to me is losing my job and having to find a new place to work and live with a wife (currently on maternity leave, also from BioWare) and two sons. So believe me, the stakes are foremost in my mind, here.

And everything I've heard so far has been good. Ray and Greg are staying. No projects are being changed. EA is offering BioWare the resources to have ads for their games on during primetime television instead of at 4AM on the SciFi channel, and everything I've heard from RECENT EA employees has been positive.

 

[horacethegrey]

Well I can certainly understand where you're coming from takyris. If the EA purchase of Bioware guarantees you more job security, then more power to you.

But you gotta understand dude, a lot of us gamers intensely dislike EA as a company for various reasons aside from those stated above in earlier posts. In contrast, many of us love Bioware and the work you guys have done, and we're really concerned that EA may screw it all up in the long run. Just saying.

 

[Arnwyn]

Sounds like good news to me. Maybe EA will be able to train the programmers at Bioware to actually learn how to program for the PS3.

 

[Terraism]

Sounds like good news to me. Maybe EA will be able to train the programmers at Bioware to actually learn how to program for the PS3.

Now, now. In all fairness, if we're talking about EA teaching anything we need to start with lesson 1) pump out tasteless sequels, and lesson 2) fail at life.

 

[Vocenoctum]

Sounds like good news to me. Maybe EA will be able to train the programmers at Bioware to actually learn how to program for the PS3.

Why bother learning a doomed system paradigm?

 

[LightPhoenix]

I dunno. Not publishing a major game since 2005 might have had something to do with it.

BioWare needed a consistent publisher that wasn't going to tie the company to one platform exclusively (the 360, for example), and EA needed to build some cred as a company that puts out more than Madden sequels and racing games.

I'm sure there's stuff going on behind the scenes. It just seems surprising to me that Bioware would have that sort of stuff going on backstage. As horacethegrey said, there's a lot of us that love you guys, and perhaps that turns us a bit blind to the inner workings. Anyway, turning that love towards the situation at hand, I'm sure you guys a) wouldn't have done it if it was going to be shady, and b) will walk away if it becomes so. So I think I have faith this will be okay. Ah, faith. Also, bah on making me think about things takyris!

So, does this mean we'll get ME for the PC?

 

[hong]

All I want to see is Jade Empire 2. That's all.

 

[WhatGravitas]

Anyway, turning that love towards the situation at hand, I'm sure you guys a) wouldn't have done it if it was going to be shady, and b) will walk away if it becomes so. So I think I have faith this will be okay. Ah, faith. Also, bah on making me think about things takyris!

That's something I hope as well. BioWare has produced very solid products and there are people here (takyris) that we like. Therefore the worries (because EA has, sadly, enough suits there) - but I think and hope everything will work out well. After all, Maxis is quite happy under EA-protection.

Cheers, LT.