A former Bioware developer has suggested that negative fan reaction to Mass Effect 3 and Star Wars The Old Republic was a critical factor in the departures of Bioware co-founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka.
In an interview with Now Gamer, Trent Oster, who spent several years with Bioware until exiting in 2009, recalled a recent conversation with Zeschuk — one that came in the wake of Bioware’s community expressing its disappointments.
Oster said he felt a disturbing level of stress and fatigue from Zeschuk and, in understanding the impact the gaming community can have on a developer, suggested that Zeschuk walk away from Bioware.
“It can be hard to shut off the overwhelming negativity the internet spews forth, especially when it has your name or the name of your company in it,” Oster said.
Muzyka’s departure came off as more surprising to Oster, who expressed his former superior’s commitment to Bioware’s publisher, Electronic Arts.
“I had him pegged as an EA lifer,” he said, criticizing EA’s upper management for what he feels wrongfully blamed SWTOR’s disappointing performance on Muzyka.
Zeschuk and Muzyka announced their departure from Bioware on September 18, 2012.
