{"version":"1.0","type":"rich","provider_name":"Acast","provider_url":"https://acast.com","height":250,"width":700,"html":"<iframe src=\"https://embed.acast.com/$/63b458521043e00011114396/6ad9c78313113bbc7620b9cc?\" frameBorder=\"0\" width=\"700\" height=\"250\"></iframe>","title":"Replay: Dr Greg Zeschuk, co-founder BioWare.","thumbnail_width":200,"thumbnail_height":200,"thumbnail_url":"https://open-images.acast.com/shows/63b458521043e00011114396/1792656879816-7d015d48-c269-47f7-b137-0be50312937b.jpeg?height=200","description":"<p>Yesterday came the news that EA plans to close <strong>BioWare</strong>, the Edmonton studio behind <strong><em>Baldur’s Gate</em></strong>, <strong><em>Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic</em></strong>, <strong><em>Mass Effect</em> </strong>and <strong><em>Dragon Age</em></strong>. I thought it was a good moment to revisit my conversation with <strong>Dr Greg Zeschuk</strong>, one of BioWare’s co-founders. We talk about the games that shaped him, and the long, remarkable journey of a studio that defined computer and console role-playing games for millions of people. Here’s my conversation with Greg Zeschuk.</p><p><br></p><p>[Original description] <strong>Greg Zeschuk</strong> is the co-founder of Bioware. While a medical student at the <strong>University of Alberta</strong> he told his future wife that, if he could, he’d make video games for a living. After he graduated, the dream came true when, in 1995, he and two friends y founded Bioware in his basement. The following year the trio released <strong>Shattered Steel</strong> and, two years after that, Baldur’s Gate, which revolutionised the world of computer role-playing games.</p><p><br></p><p>In the years that followed Bioware released a string of blockbuster hits, including Mass Effect, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In 2007, just 12 years after its founding, the companywas sold to <strong>Electronic Arts</strong> as part of a deal worth $860 million. In recent years, my guest started a brewing company, <strong>Blind Enthusiasm</strong>, and today runs two microbreweries and a restaurant in Edmunton, where he has spent most of his life.</p><p><br></p><p><u>NOTES</u></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Greg Zeschuk – BioWare &amp; brewery</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Greg_Zeschuk\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Greg Zeschuk – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://blindenthusiasm.ca/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Blind Enthusiasm Brewing Company – official site</a></p><p><a href=\"https://blindenthusiasm.ca/pages/visit-us\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Blind Enthusiasm – The Monolith taproom, Edmonton</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.wired.com/story/bioware-to-beer-greg-zeschuk/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Greg Zeschuk on BioWare’s closure – Wired</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>BioWare</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BioWare\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">BioWare – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Muzyka\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ray Muzyka – BioWare co-founder, Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Augustine_Yip\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Augustine Yip – BioWare co-founder, Wikipedia</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Greg’s Perfect Console</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adventure_(Atari_2600)\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Adventure (Atari 2600, 1980) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wizardry:_Proving_Grounds_of_the_Mad_Overlord\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Wizardry: Proving Grounds of the Mad Overlord (Apple II, 1981) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dungeon_Master_(video_game)\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Dungeon Master (Atari ST, 1987) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Diablo_(video_game)\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Diablo (1996) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.bandainamcoent.eu/elden-ring/elden-ring\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Elden Ring (2022) – official site</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elden_Ring:_Shadow_of_the_Erdtree\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Elden Ring: Shadow of the Erdtree DLC – Wikipedia</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>BioWare games discussed</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Baldur’s Gate (1998) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Baldur%27s_Gate_II:_Shadows_of_Amn\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Baldur’s Gate II: Shadows of Amn (2000) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Star_Wars:_Knights_of_the_Old_Republic\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (2003) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.swtor.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Star Wars: The Old Republic (MMO) – official site</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jade_Empire\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Jade Empire (2005) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mass_Effect\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Mass Effect trilogy – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Age:_Origins\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Dragon Age: Origins – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dragon_Age:_The_Veilguard\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Dragon Age: The Veilguard – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/MDK2\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">MDK2 (2000) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shattered_Steel\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Shattered Steel (1996) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anthem_(video_game)\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Anthem (2019) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Other games mentioned</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://baldursgate3.game/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Baldur’s Gate 3 – Larian Studios</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elden_Ring\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Elden Ring – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.nintendo.com/en-gb/Games/Nintendo-Switch-games/The-Legend-of-Zelda-Tears-of-the-Kingdom-1576884.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Tears of the Kingdom – Nintendo</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pool_of_Radiance\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Pool of Radiance (1988) – Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://store.steampowered.com/app/1501750/Lords_of_the_Fallen/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Lords of the Fallen (2023) – Steam</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Context and references mentioned</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://ea-spouse.livejournal.com/274.html\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">EA Spouse – the 2004 open letter that sparked the games industry crunch debate</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Elevation_Partners\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Elevation Partners – Wikipedia (private equity firm that invested in BioWare)</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Interplay_Entertainment\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Interplay Entertainment – Wikipedia (early publisher partner)</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Blizzard_North\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Blizzard North – Wikipedia (developers of Diablo)</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Order_of_Canada\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Order of Canada – Wikipedia (Greg was appointed in 2018)</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/TSR,_Inc.\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">TSR, Inc. – Wikipedia (original owners of Dungeons &amp; Dragons)</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iain_Banks\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Ian M. Banks – Culture series author, Wikipedia</a></p><p><a href=\"https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alastair_Reynolds\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Alastair Reynolds – science fiction author, Wikipedia</a></p><p><br></p><p><strong>Support the show</strong></p><p><a href=\"https://www.myperfectconsole.com/\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">My Perfect Console – episode archive</a></p><p><a href=\"https://www.patreon.com/myperfectconsole\" rel=\"noopener noreferrer\" target=\"_blank\">Support My Perfect Console on Patreon</a></p>","author_name":"Simon Parkin"}