Greg Zeschuk, one of the founders of BioWare, recently admitted that if his “swan song” in the gaming industry—Star Wars: The Old Republic—had been more successful, he planned to stay longer and attempt to seize control of the parent company, EA, from within.
Transition Under EA’s Acquisition
Speaking on the My Perfect Console podcast about his time at BioWare after EA acquired VG Holding Corp., Zeschuk explained that it took him two years to realize that working under a global publisher wasn’t for him. However, he refutes the idea that BioWare’s problems began with EA, highlighting the “great success” the studio had with games like Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2.
The Entrepreneurial Spirit and Departure
Despite this success, the lack of an “entrepreneurial spirit” did not suit Zeschuk, which ultimately led to his departure from the industry. He elaborated: > “EA gives you enough freedom to destroy yourself. I mean, you have to learn how to work within the structure, and I think we did that pretty well if you look at the Mass Effect series. It was a pretty successful period. But you have to understand how to function in a big company. And for me, that was the end. I realized, ‘Oh, no, I don’t like big corporations.’ So already in the second year, I knew that I would leave sooner or later. I just didn’t know when.”
Discontent with Large Corporations
Exploiting Properties
Zeschuk explains his aversion to large companies: > “Big companies exist to exploit properties. They exist to exploit games. Most of the big North American companies are just good at squeezing as much money out of a franchise as they can. They don’t really create new ones, and I learned a long time ago that I love making games. I don’t love just managing.”
An Alternate Reality
Things could have turned out differently. Zeschuk admits that his dream was to take over the company from within and turn things around. The problem was that for this to happen, his Star Wars MMO would have to be “super-duper successful.”
The One-Way Ticket of Star Wars: The Old Republic
Zeschuk reflects: > “I lived in Austin for two and a half years making Star Wars: The Old Republic, and I knew it was kind of a one-way ticket. If it had been super successful, mega successful, Ray [Muzyka, BioWare co-founder] and I probably would have launched a bid to take over EA from the inside, like true corporate pirates. But to do that, the game would have to be making like $2 billion a year. And it didn’t work out, so I was like, ‘Oh well.'”
Reflecting on EA’s Future
Potential Impact on EA’s Game Releases
Perhaps if Greg had succeeded, EA could have released more new and interesting games. This reflection raises questions about how different the gaming landscape might be if developers like Zeschuk had more influence within major corporations.
Conclusion
Greg Zeschuk’s candid reflections provide an insightful look into the challenges and dynamics of working within a large corporation like EA. His story highlights the tension between creative freedom and corporate structure, and the impact these dynamics can have on the gaming industry.
ea fucked up