BioWare - Interview @ Crispy Gamer

This is the first time we've linked the oddly-named Crispy Gamer, which is a newish site with a large stable of well-known industry writers.  For this article, the BioWare doctors front up for a Q&A on their history and development titled BioWare Design Docs.  An interesting response on the position of small developers:

Crispy Gamer: Since you've effectively switched sides now to the evil empire, it begs the question: Can independent game studios still survive in this day and age, and do they still stand any reasonable chance of competing with the big boys, let alone producing a breakout hit?

Muzyka: There are a lot of interesting opportunities available for smaller independent studios, in areas as diverse as handheld or mobile development, post-release downloadable content, expansions, outsourcing, porting to new platforms, developing new titles using engines or toolsets released with other games (along the lines of what fans did for BioWare's Neverwinter Nights or Valve's Half-Life 2) or Xbox Live Arcade, PlayStation Network or WiiWare downloadable content. The key is to understand your core competencies and focus on delivering something that stands out against your competitors.