BioWare Co-Founder Reflects on Studio’s Closure as the “Final Nail in the Coffin”
- Greg Zeschuk, co-founder of BioWare, described the studio’s recent closure as “kind of sad.”
- Zeschuk attributed the closure to EA’s acquisition by a Saudi-involved consortium, saying it was “the final nail in the coffin.”
- Since leaving BioWare in 2012, Zeschuk has moved on to founding a beer-brewing company called Blind Enthusiasm.
Greg Zeschuk, one of BioWare’s co-founders, has spoken out about the studio’s closure last week, expressing that it is “kind of sad.” He specifically noted that EA’s leveraged buyout by a consortium involving Saudi investors “was the final nail in the coffin.”
In an interview with 80 Level, Zeschuk, who established BioWare in 1995 alongside fellow medical students Ray Muzyka and Augustine Yip, revealed that he was fishing when he learned of the studio’s demise. “I got like 10 texts,” he shared, recalling, “I came off the river and got to my little room and opened my phone, and it’s like, ‘I’m so sorry to hear about BioWare.’ And I’m like, ‘Oh shit.'”
By the time Zeschuk returned home, he stated he had already processed the news and missed much of the ensuing discussion. “I wasn’t there to share in the moment,” he commented, appreciating the chance to take his time with his feelings about the closure.
“I’ve kind of gone through all the emotions long, long ago” -Greg Zeschuk
He acknowledged the hurt, adding, “It’s actually, in some ways, saddest for the city of Edmonton, where we’re from, because we were kind of this beacon of hope and excitement and possibility. We showed you could do something really special in a place that was not known for doing things like that.”
Zeschuk and Muzyka stepped away from BioWare in 2012, coinciding with the release of Mass Effect 3, and they have since shifted their focus. “I’ve kind of gone through all the emotions long, long ago,” Zeschuk noted.
Regarding the studio’s evolution after their departure, he explained the changes were gradual, driven by personnel shifts. “I’m not going to have so much hubris to say Ray and I were the lynchpin in the chain, our departure ruined everything,” he said, emphasizing the importance of people in shaping the studio’s trajectory.
He expressed concern when EA was privately acquired, stating, “I think it was the final nail in the coffin.” He elaborated that BioWare’s unique, albeit complex game design makes it more challenging compared to the more lucrative annual sports game model.
Zeschuk also touched on BioWare’s 2008 sale to EA, sharing, “We had options actually,” and noted his personal pivot from story-driven games to action-oriented titles like the Nioh series and Elden Ring.
Since 2017, Zeschuk has been running Blind Enthusiasm, a beer-brewing company that currently employs a dozen staff members and distributes tens of thousands of bottles annually. This interview marks his sole commentary on BioWare’s closure, while Muzyka has yet to publicly share his thoughts, and Yip has been out of the company since 1998.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
