BioWare Co-Founders Retiring

[Anamodiel]

Today, BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuck have announced they are retiring from BioWare. Both have written blogs to discuss their retirement.

http://blog.bioware.com/2012/09/18/ray-muzyka-greg-zeschuk-retire/

Ray mentioned he decided to quit in April... right around the time SWTOR really started letting a lot of people go. Sad, sad stuff.

I blame EA.

[Tbone]

Yikes...

[NoCry]

Ana, dont deflect. We blame you.

[Mharz]

Honestly this isn't a big shocker.

They've been well paid to deliver several products and in general they did a reasonable job doing it.  From a business perspective what they did - start a company and then get bought out by a larger company is what happens rather often in my experience.  Normally the principles are contract bound to the big company for a fixed transition time and are then free to continue working there or "retire" (read cash in stock options and drink fruity cocktails on a beach) from their positions.

Also, typical of such situations is a non-compete period where those principles can't go work in the same field for a fixed period of time.  This is why they're both "moving on to new areas" and they've both stated as much.  They're smart guys and they're heading into a fun new period of their lives.

This really has very little to do with EA.  Yes EA is awful and delivers corporate overkill like no other but this announcement isn't really a big deal.  Really it's more a loss for EA.

[NoCry]

ahh mharz, you beat me to it - in fact I was going to go back and check EA's filing from 2007 to check the terms of the disclosed deal. I am sure that the earn-out period would expire right about now! coupled with the non-compete then eminently understandable.

Much more productive to blame Ana, or EA however;)

[Sared]

One of them is going into the world of craft beer! There's still hope!

[Mharz]

ahh mharz, you beat me to it - in fact I was going to go back and check EA's filing from 2007 to check the terms of the disclosed deal. I am sure that the earn-out period would expire right about now! coupled with the non-compete then eminently understandable.

Much more productive to blame Ana, or EA however;)

Yeah a 5 year deal is not unheard of for sure.  I've seen everything from 2 years to 7 years and there is ALWAYS a non-compete.

And on that note.. I blame Ana... and other accountants for this.  

[Longboard]

Bottom line, it is Ana's fault....got it!