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Yesterday's big announcement - that Electronic Arts is creating an MMO/RPG "group" from BioWare and EA Mythic and that longtime EA Mythic Studio Head Mark Jacobs had stepped on - created a whirlwind of speculation. I'll break down what we know and don't know at this point and look at the possible effect this could have on WAR and Star Wars: The Old Republic's development in Loading... EA BioMythic?
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Since the big announcement yesterday, everyone is wondering what what the future will hold for EA Mythic's games. In case you haven't heard, EA made the decision to fold two of its major studios, EA Mythic and Bioware, into a new MMO/RPG group under the EA Games Label under Bioware's storied veteran Ray Muzyka. This is not a studio merger, at least in form; all the official types have been careful to point out that the two studios will remain separate but united. Sort of like PB & J.
Whatever your feelings about EA (and I've personally talked to plenty of staff that tells us that EA has come a long way from its heavy-handed EA wives days), this makes nothing but sense for EA as well as BioWare and EA Mythic in terms of collaboration, shared assets, and shared talent. I'm hopeful that many of the faces we've come to know on the WAR team can smoothly transition into BioWare roles if the situation warrants, especially since future developments on the EA Mythic side are cloudy at present.
Now that WAR 1.3 is out, EA Mythic has no announced projects beyond Ultima Online's Stygian Abyss expansion. Since this announcement of an MMO / RPG group, it seems unlikely that EA Mythic will go into more casual games, as was rumored at E3. Is a WAR expansion still on the horizon with the host of class balance fixes players seem to want? If not that, maybe EA wants SWTOR out the door ASAP and EA Mythic's Falls Church studio is being enlisted to help in a big way. That, to me, seems the most likely scenario.
But perhaps an even bigger question mark is what happened with Mark Jacobs, EA Mythic's longtime studio head. Mark has always been a favorite of ours and the player community, because whether or not you respected his game design decisions, he always told it like it is, no matter who he was talking to. Not to eulogize him - he'll be back, for sure - but the EA Mythic team will be poorer if not for his decisions, than for his passion for the games themselves. We don't know if Jacobs left voluntarily or involuntarily (as Massively is hinting), one way or the other he wasn't on board with EA's decision.
Have some insight into the EA groupification? There's already an epic forum thread stirring on that front, so take your thoughts there. But I'm anxious to know what you think about the other side of the equation: what could SWTOR pick up design-wise from the WAR team? Could WAR staples like public quests and keep siege RvR fit into the SWTOR universe? Have your say in the Loading... forum, or email me!
Shayalyn's Epic Thread of the Day
From our Articles, News & Events Forum
Mythic and BioWare Form New RPG/MMO Group
Yesterday was the opposite of a slow news day.
Everybody's
talking about it, so you might as well join in. The title of this
thread says it all--well, most of it, at any rate. It leaves out the
fact that Mythic's general manager, Mark Jacobs, has
departed the company and that BioWare's general manager, Ray
Muzyka, now heads both the Mythic and BioWare teams. (But you probably
know that by now, anyhow.)
The news sent cheers, jeers, and fears rippling through the gaming community yesterday. I bid you to share your thoughts!
==============================
Awesome Quotes from the Epic Thread
"I
think out of this we will see the quality of the WAR go up, but somehow
I doubt they will do anything about the inherent flaws in the game or
balance issues. But I also expect Mark to set up a new development
studio; this to me smacks of a guy who has been brutally honest with
the community for a long time and has decided he wants to get out from
under the corporate influence of EA."
- bobfish
==============================
Have you spotted an Epic Thread on our forums? Tell us!
10 new MMOG hand-crafted articles today! 110 in June! 747 in 2009!
New MMOG Articles At Ten Ton Hammer Today [Thanks Phil Comeau for links and Real World News]
Exclusives from Ten Ton Hammer
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EVE Online: Sins of a Solar Spymaster #17: The Archive of Tears
Just when you thought the Goons couldn't get any worse, they go and post porn. Not real porn, mind you, but EVE Online "chat porn" that typically features long-winded forum posts or in-game rants by opposition leaders. Thanks to the ingenuity of the Goonswarm spies, they've collected a large number of these porn posts, and the Mittani recollects a few of them for us in his latest edition of "Sins of a Solar Spymaster." -
Champions Online Powers Interview - Sorcery, Darkness, and Supernatural
Are you prepared to fight crime or instigate chaos? No matter which side you are on in Champions Online, your super powers will be your edge in any battle. Our exclusive interview with Design Director and Executive Producer Bill Roper of Cryptic Studios discusses the sorcery, darkness, and supernatural powersets. Ten Ton Hammer's Cody Bye asks the questions that we all want to hear the answers to. Learn all about these mystical powers and get some inside info on what is happening behind the closed doors of Champions Online! -
Aion Asmodian Character Creation Video
Aion just wrapped up its second beta weekend preview and Ten Ton Hammer was there to get you plenty of preview goodies to look at. Today we have put together a 14 minute character creation video to give you a look at the Asmodian race and several of the options you can choose from when creating your character. This includes features, faces, slide bars and more. -
World of Wacraft: Druid History and Lore
Although many detractors like to say that WoW is a simplistic game that is geared towards kids, it has some of the best lore in the relatively short history of MMO games. This week I take a look at what is most likely the deepest and best lore of any class in the game - the Druid. Druid lore is a crucial and signifigant element to the game, from it's divine beginings by the offspring of gods to the factions that currently strive to heal Azeroth after the damage wrought by eons of war. Join me as I uncover the back story of the Druid class. -
Geeked: Put a Kork In It
Ten Ton Hammer's very own satirical webcomic on all things Geek is back with one orc's response to the recent Mythic/BioWare news. Kork, from Ten Ton Hammer's very own WAR-Torn, is not exactly excited at the prospect... but that doesn't mean you shouldn't be!
Other Features
- Warrior Epic Combat Tutorial Video
- Exclusive Aion Screenshots - The Asmodian Tour and Creatures & Environment
Ten Ton Hammer Guides
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World of Warcraft: Summoner Macros
The scripted buttons to make WoW-life a little easier. We share some macros you may have missed or never used, but should try out if you haven't already. -
World of Warcraft: Professions for the Hunter
If you've ever wondered which World of Warcraft professions benefit the hunter the most, you've come to the right place. Mem discusses the pros and cons to each profession to help you make the right choice -
World of Warcraft: Managing Mana as a Holy Priest
In World of Warcraft the idea of mana managing seems far-fetched considering all you have to do is sit down and drink some water. But what if you sit down to drink, you only have 30% mana and the tank pulls or accidently pulls, and knocks you out of drinking? You’re all going to die! Unless you know how to manage that last bit of mana to keep the tank and everyone else alive.
Ten Ton Hammer Giveaways
Hot Content - Or, what I took a fancy to:
- EVE Online: Sins of a Solar Spymaster #17: The Archive of Tears
- Champions Online Powers Interview - Sorcery, Darkness, and Supernatural
- Aion Class Interview - The Assassin
- Aion Asmodian Character Creation Video
- Jumpgate Evolution Exclusive Interview - Lore and History
- World of Wacraft: Druid History and Lore
- Geeked: Put a Kork In It
- WoW Guide: Less Rabi Achievement
- WoW - Boss Guide: Malygos
- E3 2009 Portal
Real World News
- Gang of geriatric kidnappers arrested
You haven’t seen everything until you’ve senior grandmother in an orange jumpsuit. - Morning fire at swinger's club forces some to flee naked
Fire investigators say the blaze was fueled by a large quantity of morning wood.
Seen news you think I can mangle into a vaguely amusing snippet of text? Send it to me.
Thanks for visiting the Ten Ton Hammer network!
-Jeff "Ethec" Woleslagle and the Ten Ton Hammer team
To read the latest guides, news, and features you can visit our Warhammer 40,000: Storm of Vengeance Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning Game Page.
