Notice that this announcement comes almost *exactly* five years after EA's acquisition of Bioware's parent, VG Holdings. The five-year period []
Notice that this announcement comes almost *exactly* five years after EA's acquisition of Bioware's parent, VG Holdings. The five-year period was probably a buy-out option and/or retention clause in the agreement for EA's acquisition of VG Holdings. I'm not surprised that these two exercised it as soon as they could, or that they decided to sell their interest in VG Holdings five years ago. Consider:
1. They built a successful studio by making games that tell the same basic story over and over, the Hero's Journey, in different settings (and shame on you if you haven't read Joseph Campbell).
2. They got tired of doing it and/or realized they they were running out of new settings.
3. They had a lot of equity in a very valuable but private company which meant that they couldn't cash out very easily.
4. EA gave them a way to do just that, cash out, by offering to acquire VG Holdings (Bioware), probably for some combination of cash and EA stock. Now the doctors would have some cash and a lot of equity, but it would be equity they could easily convert to cash (by selling EA shares on the stock exchange).
5.In order to help protect the value of the Bioware brand, however--and their investment in it--EA probably demanded that the doctors continue in some figurehead role for five years as part of the acquisition. That's not an uncommon requirement in corporate acquisitions because it conveys the image of continuity and stability, which helps to preserve value.
And, voila! Exactly five years later, Drs. Muzyka and Zeschuk coincidentally retire at the same time to "pursue other interests".
Wish them well, people, but, by God, don't feel sorry for them. They did what they enjoyed doing for a while, they made their money, they knew when to get out, and they did. I wish them well, myself, but I'm also pissed off about all the bullshit they spewed over the last five years about their continued dedication to gaming and their passion for continuing to make great games with EA, which we now can see was little more than toeing the EA company line because they knew from the outset that they had to stick it out for five years and help protect the brand.
Thanks, Drs., you gave us five great games. No thanks, however, for all of your shitty sequels and your obviously disingenuous corporate propaganda over the last five years. How does it feel to be sell-outs?
