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[Nirolak]

BioWare has apparently formed a new studio to help with the development of Mass Effect 2. I take it this game is very large. Muzyka also mentions they have multiple unannounced projects.

BioWare is forming a new studio group within Electronic Arts Montreal, hiring 30 new staffers to support the team developing Mass Effect 2 in Edmonton.

"Our new presence... will be located within the existing EA Montreal facilities," BioWare co-founder Ray Muzyka tells Gamasutra today. "It's great that we have a strong foundation to build out of."

The company will be hiring artists, animators, designers and other positions to join the team working on Mass Effect 2.

"We'll be working together with our friends at EA Montreal," says Muzyka. "There's a great studio here continuing full-force with a whole bunch of really cool, exciting things as well."

The new studio and project won't affect existing projects at EA Montreal. Neither will BioWare's existing work on Dragon Age and Star Wars: The Old Republic in Austin be affected -- nor any of what Muzyka calls "a couple unannounced projects... really cool future stuff."

For those who are curious, BioWare is currently a studio with over 500 employees between Edmonton, Alberta and Austin, Texas.

Source: http://www.gamasutra.com/php-bin/news_index.php?story=22530

 

[Kill Your Masters]

Awesome.

 

[[Nintex]]

Cool, maybe some people who lost their jobs can work there.

 

[Darth Tigris]

The optimist in me says "I bet this increase in staff is to get ME2 out THIS YEAR!!!" The optimist is a fun guy to be around.

The realist in me says "get a life loser." What a jerk.

 

[Metroidvania]

BioWare is forming a new studio group within Electronic Arts Montreal, hiring 30 new staffers to support the team developing Mass Effect 2 in Edmonton.

Interesting...hopefully this equals either more story-level content planets or different base layouts.

nor any of what Muzyka calls "a couple unannounced projects... really cool future stuff."

KOTOR III.....seriously, just release it and The Old Republic at the same time. Sales would be through the goddamn roof.

 

[Guled]

cool, the more development support in Canada the better

 

[Dupy]

Unannounced really cool future stuff? PS3 exclusive confirmed!

 

[Future PhaZe]

Awesome news. Its clear that ME2 definitely needs a lot of help to fix some of the issues with ME1 as well as expand the game to what would be acceptable for a sequel.

 

[chase]

Hopefully this means they're actually working on the game's problems...who am I kidding? This is a game company.

 

[a Master Ninja]

That's fucking harsh.

 

[Pachael]

Great news - in this environment of layoffs, bankruptcies and studio closures it's good to hear someone who's hiring!

 

[Circle Jerk]

Don't let any western Canadians see you calling Edmonton an Ontario city. Vicious people over there.

 

[AndersTheSwede]

The optimist in me says "I bet this increase in staff is to get ME2 out THIS YEAR!!!" The optimist is a fun guy to be around.

The realist in me says "get a life loser." What a jerk.

:lol

Exactly.

 

[neojubei]

wow. EA is putting people to work, good to hear.

 

[Gamer @ Heart]

Hopefully this means a stable framerate.

 

[LegendofJoe]

This sounds more like contract work for ME2, as opposed to an actual new division.

 

[Nirolak]

This sounds more like contract work for ME2, as opposed to an actual new division.

It's more so a helper team to my understanding. They get put on the various large scale projects that need help being completed until BioWare decides to expand them into a full team. Well, that last part is what usually happens with helper teams at least.

 

[Borman]

Guess my source may have been right on something called Project Zulu http://superiorversion.com/?p=281

 

[Nirolak]

Guess my source may have been right on something called Project Zulu http://superiorversion.com/?p=281

I still think that's fake because you'll notice the text for "Project Zulu" is not in the same font as the rest of the card headers such as "Featured Downloads" and "Details" in the other screen.

Also in the "Description" card in the second shot the shade of gray is slightly different than the rest of the cards.

 

[Dabanton]

Guess my source may have been right on something called Project Zulu http://superiorversion.com/?p=281

Very interesting. I can see what looks like 'role playing' on the back blade.

 

[TreIII]

KOTOR III.....seriously, just release it and The Old Republic at the same time. Sales would be through the goddamn roof.

Yes, please.

That way, everybody would be happy. Hell, they could even make it so if you bought both products, you may be able to get special stuff in both!

 

[neojubei]

Hmmm I wonder games they are making for the PS3 and 360.

 

[Borman]

I still think that's fake because you'll notice the text for "Project Zulu" is not in the same font as the rest of the card headers such as "Featured Downloads" and "Details" in the other screen.

Also in the "Description" card in the second shot the shade of gray is slightly different than the rest of the cards.

It isnt fake Confirmed it with multiple people.

 

[HK-47]

KOTOR III.....seriously, just release it and The Old Republic at the same time. Sales would be through the goddamn roof.

Obsidian should handle that story. Let Bioware do the black & white stuff with Old Republic

 

[firehawk12]

Obsidian should handle that story. Let Bioware do the black & white stuff with Old Republic

This is true.

Unfortunately, who knows if Obsidian will even be with us for long.

 

[C4Lukins]

Hopefully this means they're actually working on the game's problems...who am I kidding? This is a game company.

So what is your big hobby? Are you a reader, or maybe a collector of seashells? Google does not work all the time, but I am curious how you ended up over here.

 

[polyh3dron]

Hopefully this means a stable framerate.

THIS

 

[Blackace]

This is true.

Unfortunately, who knows if Obsidian will even be with us for long.

shut your mouth!!!

 

[HK-47]

I hope they arent high fantasy or space operas though. Do something odd for an RPG, like Alpha Protocol or Bloodlines. Hell go full steampunk on a game

 

[MrTroubleMaker]

cool!

 

[D4Danger]

Secret PS3 game
Secret Microsoft "better than Killzone 2" game
Secret BioWare game.

I can hardly contain my excitement.

 

[HK-47]

What studios did what games?

 

[Nirolak]

What studios did what games?

Based off various statements they've made, their teams are something like this. These might have some inaccuracies though.

Edmonton:
Team 1: KotOR, Jade Empire (I think), Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2
Team 2: Baldur's Gate II, Neverwinter Nights + Expansions, Dragon Age: Origins
Team 3: Sonic and the Dark Brotherhood, new DS RPG? (They've hinted at one)
Team 4?: They seem to have a fourth team based on the presence of "New Next-Gen Game" in the games list on their site. It's been there for about 2-4 years now. (Maybe Zulu since people are insisting it isn't fake?)

Montreal Helper Team: Helping Team 1

Austin: SWTOR (It's in Austin because a lot of old MMO companies are there and they wanted their staff. I think they have a helper team of some more prominent figures from Edmonton on this too.)

 

[HK-47]

Based off various statements they've made, their teams are something like this. These might have some inaccuracies though.

Edmonton:
Team 1: KotOR, Jade Empire (I think), Mass Effect, Mass Effect 2
Team 2: Baldur's Gate II, Neverwinter Nights + Expansions, Dragon Age: Origins
Team 3: Sonic and the Dark Brotherhood, new DS RPG (They've hinted at one)
Team 4?: They seem to have a fourth team based on the presence of "New Next-Gen Game" in the games list on their site. It's been there for about 2-4 years now.
Montreal Helper Team: Helping Team 1

Austin: SWTOR (It's in Austin because a lot of old MMO companies are there and they wanted their staff. I think they have a helper team of some more prominent figures from Edmonton on this too.)

I thought Sonic was Austin too. And what does Alberta do then?

 

[Nirolak]

I thought Sonic was Austin too. And what does Alberta do then?

Oh sorry, Edmonton is in Alberta. I originally wrote Ontario by mistake. That was just meant to denote where in Canada relative to Montreal.

But I'm unsure where Sonic came from. I think the job posting for "JRPG Developers" was for Edmonton though.

 

[Gwanatu T]

Hopefully this means a stable framerate.

Buy it on PC.

In other news, this is great news! The more people working on ME2, the less chance it has to get delayed.