SWTOR's Daniel Erickson leaves BioWare Austin

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I've done nothing with my life except eat and fap
Daniel Erickson says goodbye after 6 years

Bioware's Daniel Erickson, creative director on Star Wars: The Old Republic, has confirmed his departure from the studio.

"As part of leaving BioWare I'm officially starting a twitter account for job hunt and design thoughts," he said through the social media site last night.

He joined Bioware in March 2005, where he became lead designer and creative director on Star Wars: The Old Republic. Prior to that Erickson had been a lead designer with Electronic Arts Canada and a senior editor for DailyRadar.com.

"When 90% of the industry is saying the exact same thing (social, mobile, FTP!) a huge number of people are going to lose that race," he added.

"Job hunt thoughts: If you think a monetisation approach is the same thing as a game idea I don't know why we're talking."
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and the exodus continues.
 
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I have a hard time calling anyone who spent the majority of their time there working on TOR a "Bioware veteran". Maybe that's just me.
 
TemplaerDude said:
I have a hard time calling anyone who spent the majority of their time there working on TOR a "Bioware veteran". Maybe that's just me.
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No, my thoughts as well. Thread title's misleading, OP. You make it sound like dude was a Baldur's Gate designer or something.
 
"When 90% of the industry is saying the exact same thing (social, mobile, FTP!) a huge number of people are going to lose that race," he added.
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This much is true. Microtransactions currently seem lucrative now because there are simply few companies in that market.
 
My brain confused Bioware with Bioshock Infinite and I almost burst into tears, twice.

Once when I read the thread title and again with relief when I realised it wasn't about Infinite.
 
"Job hunt thoughts: If you think a monetisation approach is the same thing as a game idea I don't know why we're talking."
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I'm digging this quote. Looks like the EA way was not a good fit for this guy.
 
"When 90% of the industry is saying the exact same thing (social, mobile, FTP!) a huge number of people are going to lose that race," he added.

"Job hunt thoughts: If you think a monetisation approach is the same thing as a game idea I don't know why we're talking."
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thats just depressing :(

we need more mass effects and dragon ages in gaming!
 
While BioWare going down the drain is amusing, I don't see how a dude who worked only on the companies biggest dud is that important in the grand scheme of things tbqh...

Dmax3901 said:
My brain confused Bioware with Bioshock Infinite and I almost burst into tears, twice.

Once when I read the thread title and again with relief when I realised it wasn't about Infinite.
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My interest in Infinite dropped a lot when Steve Gaynor left the project, tbqh. The E3 demo looked really mediocre as well. Regen health, seemingly 2/3 weapon carrying capacity, giving most of the powers you used to control yourself to an AI, etc. Gameplay looked like an even more 'streamlined' version of a system that was already 'streamlined' to the point of mediocrity in the original BioShock.
 
pa22word said:
While BioWare going down the drain is amusing, I don't see how a dude who worked only on the companies biggest dud is that important in the grand scheme of things tbqh...
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True and chances are that it was Bioware who thanked him for his "great" efforts in the only project he was responsible for.
 
pa22word said:
My interest in Infinite dropped a lot when Steve Gaynor left the project, tbqh. The E3 demo looked really mediocre as well. Regen health, seemingly 2/3 weapon carrying capacity, giving most of the powers you used to control yourself to an AI, etc. Gameplay looked like an even more 'streamlined' version of a system that was already 'streamlined' to the point of mediocrity in the original BioShock.
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We haven't seen anything substantial since E3 2011 and with like six months til the supposed (I suspect a delay, hopefully not a cancellation) release date I wouldn't worry too much.

Anyway, enough derailment.
 
pa22word said:
While BioWare going down the drain is amusing, I don't see how a dude who worked only on the companies biggest dud is that important in the grand scheme of things tbqh...
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It's not. OP is sensationalizing a blip that borders on non-news.
 
xenist said:
Working for six years in a major position on probably the biggest production ever undertaken in the games industry is a level of veterancy very few people can claim.
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Sadly it was all for not though considering the unsuccess of Old Republic.
Really should have just made KOTOR 3
 
xenist said:
Working for six years in a major position on probably the biggest production ever undertaken in the games industry is a level of veterancy very few people can claim.
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And he's already pushed more shit in that one release than sewage cleaners do in 20 years. Can't fault his effectiveness.
 
HP_Wuvcraft said:
Six years is a long time to be working one job. Let alone in such a demanding industry.

Yeah, I'd say he's earned vet status.
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I am not denying he is an industry veteran, but labeling him a "Bioware veteran" when he spent of his time there on TOR? I'm sorry, you can have whatever opinion on the direction that company is taking right now and rode since the EA acquisition, but that is no Bioware veteran in my eyes.
 
pa22word said:
While BioWare going down the drain is amusing, I don't see how a dude who worked only on the companies biggest dud is that important in the grand scheme of things tbqh...
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To me this seems like evidence that the Doctors were gently forced out the door because of TOR's failure, giving some credence to rumors that had floated around over the summer. Also leads me to believe that any leaks from Bioware staff about the Doctors leaving because of hurt feelings is complete garbage/spin on their part.
 
Seriously guys? Now SW:TOR isn't a giant game? Remember everyone's reactions when numbers about budget, cast and production crew started coming out? No one has said that it was a great game here. But it was a huge production. Working on such a thing for so many years provides you with tonnes of experience not possible on something else.
 
Daniel Erickson said:
"Job hunt thoughts: If you think a monetisation approach is the same thing as a game idea I don't know why we're talking."
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This is exactly what's wrong with the industry at the moment and what basically killed my interest in doing it after over 20 years.

Not playing the bleeding artist but the sad truth is that as a designer these days you find yourself driven more by financial & marketing concerns than creative ones. And it really sucks.
 
Clear said:
This is exactly what's wrong with the industry at the moment and what basically killed my interest in doing it after over 20 years.

Not playing the bleeding artist but the sad truth is that as a designer these days you find yourself driven more by financial & marketing concerns than creative ones. And it really sucks.
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But that is what seperates someone who does something creative as a hobby from someone who makes their living doing something creative.
 
Derrick01 said:
Get educated before you laugh at someone. Most people estimate that game cost $200 million to make. Find me another game that can get more than halfway to that number.
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Spending inordinate amounts of money is neither an accomplishment one should be proud of, nor is it an indication of quality workmanship e.g., JA:C, DN:F, SW:TOR.
 
Casimir said:
Spending inordinate amounts of money is neither an accomplishment one should be proud of, nor is it an indication of quality workmanship e.g., JA:C, DN:F, SW:TOR.
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The quality of the final game has nothing to do with what either he or I were talking about.
 
Lots of job changing in BioWare these days. But then again, no wonders that people are escaping from the TORtanic. I doubt that's the last one.
 
from Reddit:


[–]
Without getting into specifics that might identify anyone, can you expand on what EA did that screwed his team over?


They essentially promised certain post-launch bonuses that they refused to deliver to employees but still kept them working overtime (typical bonuses you'd expect to give to developers for a successful launch, and overtime is very common in the business). That's not too bad but this continued for a while until they promised not to fire developers after the launch, then said they "restructured" and laid off quite a few number of people. Some teams were completely gone, while others were stripped in half, doubling the workload of developers who spared the cuts.
I'll give the caveat that EA treated the TOR guys with respect on a personal level and it never seemed like EA was intentionally causing trouble. It just reeked of complete mismanagement and they ended up firing some of their most competent developers (ones that had no word on the end-game mess) in order to save some money.
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Usually people leave a job with another job lined up.

Since he is "looking" I am wondering if this is possibly a little spin in that he was let go? Or he had a major disagreement with someone that made him just out right quit.
 
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