Bioware opens a new Austin studio for a MMORPG

[Nostromo]

Interesting, but do we need another MMORPG?

http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/static/EEukkZkFlVIiCWFskG.php

BioWare Corp. Announces New "BioWare Austin" Studio

New Studio Recruiting for Massively Multiplayer Online RPG Project

EDMONTON, Alberta--(BUSINESS WIRE)--March 13, 2006--Canadian videogame developer BioWare Corp. has announced the opening of a new studio, BioWare Austin, based in Austin, Texas. It is the second of BioWare's studios and the first to be located outside of Canada.

BioWare Austin has already begun work on a Massively Multiplayer Online roleplaying game (MMORPG) title; the new game will mark BioWare's debut in the Massively Multiplayer Online space. BioWare has recruited some of the top talent in MMO and RPG development, both to manage the development efforts at BioWare Austin and to collaborate with the experienced team at BioWare Edmonton, to develop a game that combines the best of BioWare's great past games with a compelling persistent online experience. Joining the Austin team as lead designer is James Ohlen, BioWare's Creative Director, whose previous credits include lead or co-lead design roles on Star Wars®: Knights of the Old Republic(TM), Neverwinter Nights(TM), Baldur's Gate(TM) and Baldur's Gate II(TM). Also leading the BWA team are MMO veterans Richard Vogel and Gordon Walton. Richard Vogel brings 15 years of experience to BioWare Austin, previously serving as VP of Product Development for Sony Online Entertainment's Austin studio, as well as launching Ultima Online(TM) as a senior producer at Origin. Gordon Walton recently served as VP, studio manager and executive producer at Sony Online Entertainment as well as VP and Executive Producer at Electronic Arts.

"BioWare is committed to a seamless collaboration between our two studios to ensure the same high standards of quality and creativity our dedicated teams have always delivered," said Ray Muzyka, co-founder and Joint CEO of BioWare. "With our extensive heritage in the roleplaying genre, BioWare Austin is extremely well positioned to innovate in the massively multiplayer online space for BioWare's valued community of fans."

The new BioWare Austin comes soon after the formation of BioWare/Pandemic Studios, a partnership facilitated by private equity firm Elevation Partners. The new entity combines top videogame developers BioWare Corp., an industry leader in the role-playing game genre, and Pandemic Studios, an award-winning developer of best-selling action titles.

Both BioWare Austin and BioWare Edmonton currently have job openings for programmers, designers, artists, animators, world builders and writers, with new jobs being posted regularly. Applicants may view job postings and submit materials through jobs.bioware.com. BioWare Austin will also be recruiting, along with BioWare Edmonton and sister studios Pandemic Studios LA and Pandemic Australia, at the Game Developers Conference at the San Jose Convention Centre in San Jose, California, March 20-24, 2006.

[Apocalypse]

Well duh. They can get all the old Origin and Digital Anvil employees.

[FrostyBoy]

MMORPG is where the money's at. (and the fun)

[Dis]

I tried, I really did try to like mmorpg's. It just isn't happening. And I doubt bioware will do any better.

[Skanky Burns]

It might not suit your tastes, but for many others they love the games.

[Cyclotron]

Isn't Austin where the Logic Factory is/was/might still be? I say it's cursed.

[DrSpike]

I like MMOs, and I think the genre has some evolution to do over the next few years. More is better - the best survive.

[Grumbold]

I agree. The more companies that try to make MMO games, the better they will become and the more chance there is for innovation. They gameplay is pretty crude in many respects at the moment.

[duke o' york]

It is the second of BioWare's studios and the first to be located outside of Canada.

What's the point of this sentence?

[Imran Siddiqui]

I didn't even notice that.

[FrostyBoy]

It is a strange sentence, but it does make sense.

[Imran Siddiqui]

It isn't that it doesn't make sense, but the fact that it is stating something so stupidly.

[Dis]

maybe people didn't realize Bioware was located in Canada. though I knew it was there.

[DaShi]

More Canadaian companies outsourcing their jobs for cheap labor in the US.

Canadian jobs for Canadians!

[FrostyBoy]

Originally posted by Imran Siddiqui
It isn't that it doesn't make sense, but the fact that it is stating something so stupidly.

I meant it makes sense why they would mention that. (It may interest certain people to know they are based in Canada and want to base in America aswell).

I think this is the last time I will ever reply to you after reading your sig.