BioWare Interview

BioWare’s Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk took some time out of their day to tackle IndustryGamers’ questions about their success as an RPG development studio, whether their games are successful in Japan, the challenges involved with developing a Star Wars MMORPG, and more.

IG: EA’s been talking about how the BioWare Star Wars MMO is literally going to be the largest EA game ever made, I guess in terms of scope and maybe the money being pumped into it too.

Greg Zeschuk: That’s not very daunting, is it?

IG: (laughter) I was going to ask you, how does that make you guys feel in terms of the pressures?

Ray Muzyka: It’s good to have good challenges, because we enjoy those. We’re proud to be part of EA, and proud to try and deliver something that’s going to live up to the challenge. It’s also daunting because there’s a big challenge there. I can say I’ve played a lot of Star Wars: The Old Republic, and I go there every month. I’m going there right after this, as is Greg. We’re spending all week in Austin with our great team there. I think they’re up to the challenge. We like big challenges, ambitious goals. It’s cool to be doing something that’s important for the company, for the group, and for the industry.

Greg Zeschuk: I would say too that it doesn’t weigh on us in any way. We don’t sit there and think, (Oh my goodness, what are we doing?) I think we have a good, quiet, consistent confidence that, (We’ve done it before, we’ve delivered great games before. We know how to do that.)

Ray Muzyka: You break it down into the problems and the risks you need to solve and you mitigate them one by one, and you solve them one by one, and you iterate until you get it fun. You know what’s fun yourself. It’s not perfect; no game ever is, but you try to solve everything you’re aware of, in the best way you can with the team that you have. Then, you launch it and, hopefully, it’s good. It’s successful.

Greg Zeschuk: It’s something we know how to do, and I think the other thing, the interesting positive about it being a (big play) for EA, is we get tons of support; we get a lot of priority support, a lot of help from the overall [organization].

Ray Muzyka: .And from our partners, LucasArts, as well.

Greg Zeschuk: Yeah. Absolutely.

Ray Muzyka: They’re very supportive and a great partner to have; they know the Star Wars canon, they’re publishing the game in North America, and you know, [they’re] a great partner to have on board.