After seventeen years at the helm of the company they founded, founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk announced their retirement from BioWare today.
“This has been an incredibly difficult decision to make,” Muzyka said in his blog post; “after thinking about it for many months, I made the decision to retire from videogames back in early April 2012 – at that time I provided six months’ notice to EA, to help enable a solid transition for my teams at BioWare.”
Both men made it clear that they viewed their departures as triumphs, not failures. “Writing a note like this is something one imagines doing once in a lifetime, if at all,” Zeschuk wrote. “The experience of following a dream, achieving it and along the way working with the most talented, passionate and engaging people imaginable isn’t something I’m likely going to repeat again. Building BioWare over the years with Ray and the many other people involved was a once in a lifetime opportunity, and I’ll cherish it always.”
The two leaders also made it clear that they appreciated their teams’ effort and the years of service and creativity at BioWare. And they took pains to thank both BioWare and their parent company, Electronic Arts, for their hard work and stand by the products of their partnership – perhaps to discourage rumors that this had any cause beyond their own desires to move on. Nonetheless, both intend to move on from the video game industry – for a time at least in Zeschuk’s case.
BioWare Edmonton and Montreal General Manager Aaryn Flynn also wrote a letter, thanking Muzyka and Zeschuk for their hard work. “Love of games, respect for the players, teamwork and integrity – those are the hallmarks of a culture built by Ray and Greg,” he wrote. “It started in their hearts and minds, ran through their daily actions, and resonated deeply in the people that joined them in their remarkable journey. And now with their retirement, the creative teams at BioWare Edmonton & Montreal are ready to carry on that legacy.”
The pair, who have been largely inseparable, are going their separate ways. Muzyka wants to explore social media investment opportunities, while Zeschuk wants to start a web-based interview show about, of all things, beer.