German website GamersGlobal initially reported that BioWare co-founder Greg Zeschuk may have resigned from the company. Zeschuk allegedly has not been seen at the BioWare Austin studio for a number of weeks. Adding to the panic is the fact that both Zeschuk and fellow co-founder Ray Muzyka didn't make an appearance at a recent meeting -- that's unusual, we guess.
According to Zeschuk's LinkedIn profile, he's still listed as part of the BioWare team (1995 to present), but he is no longer acting as General Manager of the BioWare Austin studio (6/10 to 5/12). Filling the GM shoes in Austin is ex-Major League Gaming CEO Matthew Bromberg. EA later confirms all of this in an emailed statement to GamersGlobal.
"When Greg Zeschuk announced the reorganization of [BioWare Austin] in May, he outlined his plan to return to his family in Edmonton for a much deserved vacation," an EA spokesperson told the German website. "Greg also announced the new [general manager] of SWTOR Bioware Austin as Matt Bromberg. Greg is still at EA. He is now back in Canada, where he takes a break and thinking of new projects. With Ray Muzyka, there is no change."
Yet GamersGlobal still sniffs trouble, reporting it unusual that Zeschuk didn't have an official position at EA or BioWare following his resignation as the Austin studio's General Manager. There's also that supposed meeting too in which both founders didn't attend. Now there's "fear" that the studio will be re-branded as EA Austin, as it's currently facing mounting "internal pressure."
That said, it's highly possible Zeschuk has decided to work at the BioWare Montreal studio to work on new projects and be closer to his family. As of October 2011, the entire BioWare group consisted of six individual studios: BioWare Edmonton, BioWare Austin, BioWare Mythic, BioWare Montreal, BioWare Ireland, and BioWare San Francisco. There's plenty of EA-owned BioWare to go around, it seems.
BioWare Austin was responsible for developing the disappointing Star Wars: The Old Republic MMORPG. The PC game launched back in December 2011 and has thus seen a massive decline in numbers since the beginning of the year, dipping below one million in recent weeks. Just recently the MMORPG went into free-to-play mode to help reel in new and old customers alike.
BioWare was founded in February 1995 by medical doctors Ray Muzyka, Greg Zeschuk and Augustine Yip. Titles generated by the developer over the years have included the Baldur's Gate series, Neverwinter Nights, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, the Mass Effect series, Dragon Age: Origins and more.
