BioWare ‘looking at’ iPhone development, says continuing PC exclusive development ‘feasible’
So it would appear that some third-party developers are getting what Stardock meant – the fate of PC gaming is on the hands of the developers. BioWare, a reputable PC developer of the past, has also expanded to the console market like many others, but they aren’t about to abandon the gaming platform. Speaking to MTV, CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk said that the role-play experts might keep developing PC exclusives in the long run. And there’s a little hope for Apple iPhone games from them as well. More on that when you click “read more”.
BioWare CEOs Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk raised the curtains on where the major RPG developer stands in future games development, and they somehow came to a realization that further down the line, developing PC exclusives is still possible. And they say this despite much talk that PC gaming has been in a decline for several years since 2000.
“Yeah. I think that’s quite feasible,” Muzyka said to MTV on the note of whether they would continue to push for PC-exclusive projects. He continued on to say how the PC side of gaming is still “vibrant.” He continued:
[World of Warcraft and Age of Conan] are very successful games. … weÂ’re very supportive of seeing great PC titles in the market because we just think it’s another sign that the market’s very strong
BioWare released formerly Xbox 360-exclusive Mass Effect to the PC by way of Electronic Arts, and despite grumblings about digital rights management, it was openly received by the community.
Dragon Age, currently BioWare’s first attempt at an MMO, still remains a silhouette over the horizon, and currently stands as one of few remaining PC-exclusive franchises from the company.
And the iPhone, having succeeded in several major markets, is about to penetrate a cellular-dependent world with the 3G iPhone, and there’s a large market for mobile gaming just waiting to be tapped.
BioWare has touched handheld gaming before with Sonic Chronicles on the DS, and they’re more than excited about the prospect of iPhone gaming. Zeschuk tells MTV:
We look at every platform that comes along. Obviously, something that’s as big a cultural and technical success as the iPhone is something you really got to take a close look at. Certainly, thereÂ’s nothing written in stone yet but weÂ’ve got a lot of folks looking at it. It’s intriguing. I think one of the things that we’ll have to see how it shakes out is what type of consumer buys games on it and what type of experience they’re looking for. You want to always mash the consumer experience with what youÂ’re building. We want to understand what people are going to do with it. Who knows. We’re definitely looking at every platform.
BioWare staying for PC gamers, and looking into iPhone gaming? All will probably unravel soon enough, so let’s wait for the day more heavy-hitting PC titles arrive fall of 2008, together with the launch of the 3G iPhone.
Via MTV Multiplayer