Victory Games Drop BioWare Label

[Sonic 295]

Two of EA's "BioWare" studios, one of them being Victory Games and the other Mythic, have both dropped the BioWare label from their names. The change is described as the result of a new focus for both studios. Here's a report from Game Informer.

 

Two of EA's "BioWare" studios, Victory Games and Mythic, have dropped the label from its studio name. Mythic says the change was a result of a new focus.

"In the wake of a new focus our studio has recently changed its name from BioWare Mythic to Mythic," the studio said on its website. "Everything else stays the same - our passionate teams will continue to support and develop our existing titles as well as working on some new and exciting projects."

Victory Games did not release a statement on the change but the studio's website has removed all instances of the name. The studio announced in December 2011 it was joining the BioWare games label.

BioWare now has five studios under its label: BioWare Edmonton, BioWare Austin, BioWare Montreal, BioWare Ireland, and BioWare San Francisco. It's unclear if more studios are also changing their names. Game Informer contacted EA for comment.

In September, BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announced their retirement.

Another report on this change can be found at Kotaku.

[Guest Rabbit]

Well that was short. I guess in some ways it doesn't surprise me though. Since they've simplified the C&C design concept so much, I guess they don't need to take on two roles. That's my take on it anyway.

[PurpleGaga27 40]

Sonic, I already created this topic earlier: http://forums.cncnz.com/topic/17319-victory-games-drop-bioware-label/

 

I am not really by surprised by this, but Victory Games should have stayed as Victory Games when it all started.

[Existor 15]

I have a small feeling that this studio will be closed...

[Plok 323]

I have a small feeling that this studio will be closed...

If so, I won't be crying about them.

[Luk3us 63]

I guess having the Bioware name isn't as good as it used to be.

[Alex06 39]

I have a small feeling that this studio will be closed...

Like with other EA games, we haven't heard of Generals 2 for a long time and they keep delaying news. I have a feeling this happens when the game is on life support. Come September 2013, if we have no big and weekly or monthly news, the game may end up cancelled.

[Publix666 0]

I guess having the Bioware name isn't as good as it used to be.

 

Yeah, Bioware isnt the same dev it was either. Between DA2, Swtor and ME3 i think Bioware has lost a ton of fans and community support. Gamers i knew back then would buy any game with the Bioware name on it, wont even pre-order a Bioware game now. Signing on with EA has really destroyed Bioware, but they've at least lasted longer then most. I dont see Bioware lasting much longer though, i think if DA3 and/or their next ME project tanks, that'll be it, and with Swotor being on F2P life support now. Most gamers ive talked to have no interest in the F2P conversion because their model looking so damn greedy.

Edited November 11, 2012 by Publix666

[[NE]Fobby[GEN] 10]

Unfortunately, marketing teams control too much in game development, even though much of the time they'll make big game design mistakes.

 

Maybe EA is trying to protect the Bioware name from dilution. Giving a bunch of studios the Bioware name would be digging the label's grave, because not all studios, especially under a corporate direction, will live up to Bioware's reputation. It makes sense to me that they'd withdraw the name from some studios. At first I was happy that Generals 2 was a "Bioware" game, because I thought it would guarantee a triple-A status and a good singleplayer campaign. But after the Generals 2 idea was scrapped and the game was given a new F2P multiplayer direction, having a Bioware label would not be good in the long-run.

[Sonic 295]

I usually don't comment in news threads any more but I think some of you guys are reading way to much into this, the ones who think this studio will close, or the game will be cancelled. Its just a studio name change, the new C&C is still development. Nothing changes there. Even though its Victory Games, its still really EALA, that's where most of the team are based.

[Banshee 28]

I don't think that the Bioware label would make any difference at all for the end user, honestly. It doesn't guarantee any kind of quality, specially when the original Bioware would not be directly involved in the conception of the game. Maybe they'd use their policies, in the same way EA policies are used and no quality is guaranteed with that.

[Plok 323]

Even though its Victory Games, its still really EALA, that's where most of the team are based.

Correction. EALA = Danger Close (latest Medal of Honor, anyone?)

[Sonic 295]

There is no correction. EA Los Angeles is the home of Victory Games (C&C) and Danger Close (Medal of Honor), its one big campus housing both studios and more. The latest Medal of Honor has no impact on the new C&C. EALA is very big place. Despite all the personnel changes, studio name changes nothing has really changed in the fact that EALA is the developmental home for C&C, it has been this way since 2004.

[Golan 6]

I don't think that the Bioware label would make any difference at all for the end user, honestly. It doesn't guarantee any kind of quality, specially when the original Bioware would not be directly involved in the conception of the game. Maybe they'd use their policies, in the same way EA policies are used and no quality is guaranteed with that.

While not a guarantee, a label is certainly a declaration of intent. For a super-company such as EA, labels are meta-franchises that are meant to signify specific styles; if they are just randomly applied without intent to deliver a specific content and/or quality, there's no identification with the label and it becomes worthless. So applying a label to games that meet that standard and also removing it from games that don't is imperative - the later of which has just happened.

And actually, EA policies did guarantee a certain kind of quality in the past, which is the entire reason why many people are currently rather suspicious - namely a guarantee for good visual quality masking mediocre gameplay quality.

[Banshee 28]

While not a guarantee, a label is certainly a declaration of intent. For a super-company such as EA, labels are meta-franchises that are meant to signify specific styles; if they are just randomly applied without intent to deliver a specific content and/or quality, there's no identification with the label and it becomes worthless.

 

Do you really believe that Bioware label would have that kind of effect in Generals 2? I mean, if they brought some of the Bioware producers to actually work at the conception of the game, ok... but that's clearly has never been the case at all.

 

And actually, EA policies did guarantee a certain kind of quality in the past, which is the entire reason why many people are currently rather suspicious - namely a guarantee for good visual quality masking mediocre gameplay quality.

 

No, it did not guaranteed high quality graphics. In fact, the SAGE engine has never been a sinonym of quality. It just guaranteed rushed games. I did enjoy some of these rushed games, but they could have been much better if EA actually gave the dev team enough time to polish them.

[Cypher 4]

Actually, as far as I know, before them both leaving the gaming industry, Ray Muzyka was hands on with the team at VG.

[Golan 6]

Do you really believe that Bioware label would have that kind of effect in Generals 2? I mean, if they brought some of the Bioware producers to actually work at the conception of the game, ok... but that's clearly has never been the case at all.

 

As I just clearly said: Yes. Not necessarily in the way of some actual Bioware people going there (though it really did sounded as Cypher said when BVG was announced) especially seeing how I was talking about the label (which doesn't have any specific people) but definitely in the way the game is plannend and designed.

It's like they wouldn't put their EA Sports label on Battlefield3 or for that same matter remove it from Madden NFL. With a company as big as EA, labels are used to identify certain types of games (in terms of style, gameplay, quality) just like smaller companies would have their name identified with a specific style - think of Sierra games, LucasArts, Bullfrog, Maxis, Blizzard.

Of course they can put any label they please on any game they get their fingers on. But applying a label to a game that doesn't fit to it means destroying the reputation and thus the raison d'être of the label.

 

So assuming they aren't completely incompetent, applying and removing a label means that the game respectively does or does not adhere to the label's standards.

 

No, it did not guaranteed high quality graphics. In fact, the SAGE engine has never been a sinonym of quality. It just guaranteed rushed games. I did enjoy some of these rushed games, but they could have been much better if EA actually gave the dev team enough time to polish them.

 

Guaranteeing high quality isn't the same as guaranteeing quality per se. There are such things as average and bad quality and many labels (non-gaming included) live by making it clear that they do not deliver highest quality possible but for example good quality per price (i.e. cheap ****). Likewise, EA's guarantee was a fun spectacle with not much depth and polish.

The problems of SAGE are in how it handles gameplay, not graphics. Most graphic criticism is a matter of style, not technology. Especially C&C stands out with its visuals (FMV videos anyone? Those don't come cheap) being a redeeming factor for underdeveloped/glitchy gameplay - something you could rely on to be enjoyable.

This is actually also where much of the current public negativity aims at, most of the vocal people are SP folks which wouldn't even know half the bugs/glichtes/shortcommings (or wouldn't care) but are damn angry that EA no longer deliveres the fun the C&C label guaranteed in the past.

[DrZoid99 0]

What about producing games? any progress on that front?