BioWare co-founders, Doctors Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk, announced on Tuesday that they are retiring from BioWare. Both offer a long explanation, revealing that they're leaving the gaming business altogether as well.
"After nearly two decades in video games, I’ve decided to move on to pursue an entirely different set of challenges," Muzyka said. "This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make; after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from video games back in early April 2012 – at that time I provided six months’ notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare."
"The decision to leave the videogame industry is hard to explain, but essentially I feel similar now to how I felt in the early days of BioWare over the decade post-medical school, while I was still practicing as an ER physician, back when I first realized that the world of video games was my next career ‘chapter'," he adds. "Two wonderful decades working at BioWare and later EA was the result of that decision. It’s not often that you can truly say you were able to pursue and achieve your dream job; I know how lucky I am to be able to say that now, in my early 40s."
In Zeschuk's post, he said that after nearly twenty years working at BioWare, he decided it was time to move on and pursue something new too. He added that the decision wasn't without its share of pain and regret, but he feels like his departure is something he needs to do for himself and for his family.
"I’ve reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation," Zeschuk said. "For the people I have had the privilege of working with, however, my passion burns as brightly as it did the day we started. The people I work with now, and that I have worked with in the past, have inspired me and really made all of the challenges we’ve collectively faced over the years worthwhile."
"One thing I’m confident of is that we’ve built a great team that will continue to succeed long after I’m gone," he adds. "The thing I’m most proud of is the success of people that we’ve help grow over the years; I hope all of them exceed anything I’ve ever done and eclipse our achievements. I have full confidence in the current leadership team guiding BioWare to continued future success."
Aaryn Flynn, General Manager of BioWare Edmonton & Montreal, followed up with his own blog reassuring fans that all is well with BioWare despite the departure of its founding members. He briefly covers the just-revealed Dragon Age 3: Inquisition, the Mass Effect franchise, and teases new, unannounced games from the studios. Creative people are delivering new content and gameplay for established franchises, and new games that go in new directions, he said.
"Ray and Greg built BioWare to last," Flynn added. "They’ve always known their retirement would come one day, so they developed a team of people who would ensure their standards and culture would endure. We’ll humbly carry that torch and continue learning in the process.
"Now it's up to us to show the world what you [the doctors] taught us."
It's ok: you can cry now. We totally get it (sniff).
