BioWare - More on the BioWare/Mythic RPG 'Team-Up' @ Gamasutra

Ray Muzyka interviewed on EA's new RPG/MMO Group.

The actual announcement was a bit vague -- what are the practical ramifications of the BioWare and Mythic reorganization?

Ray Muzyka: Structurally, each of the organizations remains intact. They're working on the same projects they were working on before, I just have another studio that reports into me. It's not that BioWare or Mythic is changing; they're retaining their brands, their unique cultural identities, their projects they are working on. I'm really excited about what we're doing; we have great people at each location.

Rather, a new group is being formed that is more of a reporting structure of Rob Denton, the GM of Mythic; Richard [Vogel] and Gordon [Walton], who already report to me from [BioWare] Austin; Yannick [Roy], our studio director at BioWare Montreal, who already reports into me; and then BioWare Edmonton, and I already manage that studio myself.

It's a collaboration opportunity. Each of the groups continues to make the same thing in their [own locations]. But it's fuelling and enabling more communication, collaboration, best practice sharing, encouraging each other to play each others' games -- but no formal change per se in what anybody's doing. It's a recognition that there's a lot of synergy between them already. I'm going to make sure everyone at each location knows who the others are, and their comparable roles, and to make sure they talk.

Meanwhile, Mark Jacobs says his goodbyes.

Following Mark Jacobs' official departure from Mythic Entertainment, the studio's co-founder has addressed his former staff in a reflective post on his personal blog.

"To describe these past two months as difficult would be a great understatement as change is almost never easy," he wrote.

The majority of the post is devoted to honoring Mythic employees -- and Jacobs promised there would be more of that to come.

"Whether it was the extra late night and/or weekend efforts or simply the passion so many of you showed for our games, your level of commitment is something I will never forget," he continued. "I will have a lot more to say about this over the next few weeks and I will try, and I’m sure fail, to adequately express my thanks and deepest gratitude to many of the team members."