BioWare's Zeschuk: Videogames quickly growing out of dependence on violent gameplay

Many of today's best-selling videogames -- from Gears of War to the latest hop 'n' bop based on a kids' movie -- are rooted in some form of violence. It's the most tangible way of interacting with a videogame world, after all. BioWare's Greg Zeschuk, however, believes the gaming industry's at a decidedly nonviolent turning point, one at which story will take the throne violence once held.

"We talk a certain amount internally about whether you need to have combat as part of the experience. Are there possibilities to actually start separating pieces of the game and actually tailor it to the audience?" said Zeschuk, creative officer of BioWare, speaking with GI.biz.

"Certainly the core gaming experience, folks that are used to playing games over the last ten years, they want to have those battle moments, and the fighting. But there are different audiences that would maybe just enjoy the story."

"I think it's actually possible. I think the interesting thing about it too is I don't know if it's even necessarily a technology thing. I think once we've got the breadth of audience available to us, there could be really good opportunities created by different people coming to games that are story-driven."

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