The Bioware Doctors are retiring from the world of role playing games and moving on into other areas: charity work and beer.
Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka, developers of such games as "Baldur's Gate", "Shattered Steel", "Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic" announced their retirement this week from not only their company, established in 1995, but from the industry altogether. The announcement came on their company blog, where both expressed their appreciation of their customers and their desire to move into other projects.
Zeschuk wrote: "After nearly twenty years working at BioWare I’ve decided it’s time to move on and pursue something new. This decision isn’t without significant pain and regret, but it’s also something I know I need to do, for myself and my family. I’ve reached an unexpected point in my life where I no longer have the passion that I once did for the company, for the games, and for the challenge of creation. For the people I have had the privilege of working with, however, my passion burns as brightly as it did the day we started."
His new pursuit? Beer.
"After my departure I’m going to be spending significant time with family and friends, as well as pursuing some personal passion-driven projects related to craft beer," his blog states.
"The main project I will be working on is a web-based interview show called The Beer Diaries where I interview notable brewers and showcase their beers," he writes. "If things go well, I’ll work on other beer-related shows, apps and projects. If not, I’ll have drunk a lot of tasty beers and may be back in games or even something else completely different."
The craft beer community is waiting with bated "beer" breath to see how The Beer Diaries plays out. If Zeschuk puts the same energy, creativity and talent into it as he did Bioware, the Diaries could well end up a "force" to be reckoned with.
"And… that’s it. Normally at this point, if I was still working on Star Wars: The Old Republic, I’d finish with something pithy like: “May the Force be With You,” but that doesn’t really apply any more. All I can think of is to say thanks… for everything."