Fri, Jun 04, 2010 | 21:22 BST
BioWare: Complacent studios “will get left behind”
The good doctors at BioWare have voiced their opinions on Japanese RPG development, and how its attitude of complacency over the years opened the door for Westerners.
Speaking with IndustryGamers, Greg Zeschuk said that because of the influx of Western developed RPGs, Japan’s starting to figure out that the “traditional, very structured, old-school RPG” isn’t selling as well anymore.
“I think what happened is they got very complacent for a very long time,” he said. “They kept making the same thing, and the same thing, and, in a sense, almost provided an opening for all of us to jump in with our style of games.
“I know first hand that they’re looking at our games now; they’re kind of looking at our stuff, the Fable stuff, and Fallout, and all that, and going, ‘what are these things?’ I think they had gotten used to making the same thing over and over, and it was working.
“I think the other thing, too, is that the Japanese market has gotten quite a bit weaker and weaker. It’s just not as strong a market. It used to be a tremendously strong game market, so I think they’re kind of looking at it going, ‘man, we’ve got to figure out where else we can sell these,’ and I think the traditional, very structured, old-school structure RPG wasn’t selling anymore; so now, I think we’re going to see some changes.”
However, this “complacent” attitude is not just something developers in Japan should be concerned with, according to Ray Muzyka. Western developers should always be striving for innovation as well.
“Everybody’s got to be always innovating and always trying to look for new opportunities to build on what they’ve done before,” he said.
“Any group, not referring to any particular one, [but] any studio or group, or any country that has certain development aesthetics, you know, from past times, that doesn’t continue to innovate will get left behind.”
BioWare’s currently mixing stuff together for Dragon Age: Origins, Mass Effect 2, looking into Mass Effect 3, and working alongside Lucasarts on the Star Wars MMO.
Maybe EA will have new information on all of these games for us at it’s press event on Monday, June 14.
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Posted in: Development, EA, Hot, RPG
Tags: bioware, Greg Zeschuk, Ray Muzyka
13 comments
#1
Mike W
04/06/10, 9:25 pm
I wondering he’s going to say when JRPGS make a comeback?
#2
DeSpiritusBellum
04/06/10, 9:38 pm
I realize it’s been well recieved, but Mass Effect 2 to me was complacency squared on all accounts except character development.
Taking a popular RPG and turning it into Rainbow Six: Vegas isn’t innovation in my book.
Although I can’t hate them, with Dragon Age and all.
#3
52pickup
04/06/10, 9:39 pm
Ever since Bioware had a bit of success with Dragon Age:Origins and Mass Effect 2,they have been running their mouth. It’s not just RPG’s they are having a pop at,they were slagging off video game character personalities and stories in video games just a few months ago.
#4
Retroid
04/06/10, 9:49 pm
“they were slagging off video game character personalities and stories in video games just a few months ago.”
That’s because most examples of those are shit.
#5
Hunam
04/06/10, 10:15 pm
A bit of success? Are you a mentalist? They basically own the WRPG genre. Baldur’s Gate, Baldur’s Gate 2, Knights of the Old Republic, Mass Effect, Dragon Age. Each one is the pinnacle of the RPG genre. They’re not just lucky two hitters, they are the best of the best.
#6
The Hindle
04/06/10, 10:18 pm
Bioware make way better games then Jpn but they have a long way to go before they sell at levels of FF. Me 2 only did 1.5m in 6 month according to Eas fiscal report.
#7
Hunam
04/06/10, 10:22 pm
Dragon Age outsold Mass Effect 2. Specially on the PC but the PC sales figures aren’t tracked. Not sure it’s more than the 5 odd mill FFXIII had though.
#8
hitnrun
04/06/10, 10:33 pm
That’s ironic. BioWare has been making basically the same game over and over since KOTOR. Glazed-eye characters staring past the camera reading an overrated “story” written by an exec’s nephew (juxtaposed with eerily good voice acting) while the player considers which option in the dialogue tree will lead to a ghastly adolescent sex scene.
Mass Effect 2, at least, finally changed the conflict gameplay up a little.
#9
endgame
04/06/10, 10:41 pm
bioware making the same thing over and over again? play their games before u talk u f**king loser. and after u do if u still believe that then wait to grow up. u ppl make me sick. get off these “forums” if u all u have to say is that u useless *****
#10
Hunam
04/06/10, 10:55 pm
You seem nice.
#11
hitnrun
04/06/10, 10:57 pm
Actually, I’m an old head made overly bitter by the fact that Dragon Age was the “spiritual successor” to whatever Bioware’s latest game was, not Baldur’s Gate.
Your well-made points are duly noted, however.
#12
Stephany Nunneley
04/06/10, 10:58 pm
@10 –
#13
Happy Hardon Harry
05/06/10, 1:25 am
JRPG don’t innovate, put the blame firmly on J developers as they always stick with these conservative ideologies when creating such games. I can’t play them anymore as it’s just the same old shit.