If BioWare fans don't like something about one of the company's games, a popular tactic is to blame EA. After all, the mega-publisher bought BioWare, and now must be poisoning the studio's development, right? Wrong!

In an interview with Eurogamer, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk insist their studio still has "huge autonomy," and that EA isn't some sinister force calling the shots from behind a curtain.

"We're not being forced to do anything or told to do anything. We make the decisions. We take input," says Zeschuk. "It's just funny when people say that, because it's not actually remotely true."

"The key is to never lose sight of the fact that, at the end of the day, we're making entertainment and art," Muzyka adds. "We're tying to make a fun experience for the fans. They're one of our key stake holders and we have to deliver and exceed their expectations."

So, every questionable decision surrounding BioWare games isn't EA's fault…but I'm still pretty sure that heavy metal Dragon Age: Origins trailer was.

(Source: Eurogamer)

What did you expect BioWare to say?

EA bought BioWare largely for their name, and paid something like 700 million for it. You think EA are just going to sit back after making an investment like that and let them run their own show without any sort of input/leesh?

Not saying BioWare doesn't have some say, but at the end of the day, EA OWNS BioWare, and can make any call they want.

EDIT: Including telling BioWare people what to say in interviews ;)

Aye, it's kind of a difficult pill to swallow, especially when you stop to consider the fact that any 'interview' from a major media source will be difficult to trust, because it's pre-prepared, and unless the co-founder is quitting anytime soon, he'd have no real insentive to go against EA if they wanted him to 'present a certain message' in said interview.

I'm not usually one for conspiracies, but EA has been known to wield it's wallet a bit like a club. Mythic also made the same statement when it came to WAR, along with 'we'll only release when it's ready' and surprise! It didn't release 'ready'. You can really only take these w/ a grain of salt.

Unless the game is made by Bioware Canada it's just an EA game with the Bioware branding for marketing purposes.

You should know by now that everyone on this website hates "the man" and "the man" is what is keeping their ideal kind of MMO (something with a box full of sand) from ever seeing the light of day...

This topic will go over here as well as a turd in church....

I'm pretty sure the decision to ship SWTOR in December was an EA decision, and not something Bioware would have chosen to support if they had a say so.

Being largely autonomous under the umbrella of a big-name company that bought and OWNS your a**?  If you believe that, I also have news for you to get excited about:  The UN declared earlier today that World Peace finally exists, and that there's no racial bigotry and ethnic hatreds to be found, anymore.

works in their favor to be honest

Blizzard does bad, fans blame it on Activision

Bioware does bad, fans blame it on EA

Both the Bioware founders are VP's of EA now.

There is a reason it's not Bioware, Published by EA but instead it's EA/Bioware or Bioware/EA.

They don't "work" for Bioware and get their checks from EA.

They work for and get their checks from EA/Bioware.

See the difference?

As THEY said, they ARE EA.

Originally posted by Xzen

Unless the game is made by Bioware Canada it's just an EA game with the Bioware branding for marketing purposes.

.....except for the fact that a ton of "Bioware Canada" employees are working in Austin (and relocated to that city). TOR is not mystically being made by a "fake" Bioware.

EA wont step in to fill shoes at Bioware until their games flop, or until they dont meet shareholders demand. 1 we should blame both companies if the game fails, 2. only reason fans blameActivision if blizzard  does bad is because Activision does run the show.

Blaming publishers over devs has always appeared to me to be a fanboi tactic used to deflect blame whether it's blaming Lucas Arts for SOE decisions,Activision for Blizzards decisions or Atari for Cryptics decisions.  I think even the first responder has it totally wrong why would EA invest that kind of money into a huge development house if they thought they (EA) already had all the answers, with some companies sure that happens but a development house with the reputation of BW's stands on it's own I think it more likely that EA wanted in because they liked what they are capable of doing already and as the developers said allow them to make the kinds of decisions they have already made which I might add have not been bad for them yet.

Originally posted by Nadia

works in their favor to be honest

Blizzard does bad, fans blame it on Activision

Bioware does bad, fans blame it on EA

QFT.

And lets not forget.

Blizzard does good, people comment blizzard.

Bioware does good, people comment Bioware.

Gues its easier to scapegoat.

Originally posted by eayes
It doesn't matter if it's true or not, people love to blame big companies for everything.

That's right.  Because big companies are infallible and have the consumers' interests at heart.

Originally posted by Warmaker

Originally posted by eayes
It doesn't matter if it's true or not, people love to blame big companies for everything.

That's right.  Because big companies are infallible and have the consumers' interests at heart.

In the same way that all big companies are evil money grubbing monsters, I guess.

Originally posted by raistlinm

Blaming publishers over devs has always appeared to me to be a fanboi tactic used to deflect blame whether it's blaming SOE for Lusasart's decisions,Activision for Blizzards decisions or Atari for Cryptics decisions.  I think even the first responder has it totally wrong why would EA invest that kind of money into a huge development house if they thought they (EA) already had all the answers, with some companies sure that happens but a development house with the reputation of BW's stands on it's own I think it more likely that EA wanted in because they liked what they are capable of doing already and as the developers said allow them to make the kinds of decisions they have already made which I might add have not been bad for them yet.

Fixed for you.

Originally posted by Renkaiden

Originally posted by Xzen

Unless the game is made by Bioware Canada it's just an EA game with the Bioware branding for marketing purposes.

.....except for the fact that a ton of "Bioware Canada" employees are working in Austin (and relocated to that city). TOR is not mystically being made by a "fake" Bioware.

I wouldn't say a "ton." Most of the Bioware Austin employees were EA employees before EA purchased Bioware.....

Originally posted by maskedweasel

Originally posted by Warmaker

Originally posted by eayes
It doesn't matter if it's true or not, people love to blame big companies for everything.

That's right.  Because big companies are infallible and have the consumers' interests at heart.

In the same way that all big companies are evil money grubbing monsters, I guess.

Originally posted by eayes

Originally posted by maskedweasel

Originally posted by Warmaker

Originally posted by eayes
It doesn't matter if it's true or not, people love to blame big companies for everything.

That's right.  Because big companies are infallible and have the consumers' interests at heart.

In the same way that all big companies are evil money grubbing monsters, I guess.

 

This guy gets it. My point wasn't defending the big companies.

But EA and Activision are evil money grubbing monsters......