Star Wars: The Old Republic might soon be handed over to a new studio so that BioWare could focus on its upcoming single-player RPGs. Let’s take a closer look at Broadsword Online Games and its track record.
What happened?
- On June 6, IGN reported that Electronic Arts is nearing an agreement to take the development and operation of SWTOR from BioWare and hand it over to Broadsword Online Games.
- EA confirmed that negotiations with the studio took place: “We’re evaluating how we give the game and the team the best opportunity to grow and evolve, which includes conversations with Broadsword, a boutique studio that specializes in delivering online, community-driven experiences.”
- According to IGN, more than half of the 70-80 people working on Star Wars: The Old Republic are expected to move to Broadsword following the deal. Other developers will be able to take on roles within BioWare and EA, but layoffs can’t be ruled out either.
- This move should allow BioWare to focus all of its resources on new games in the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series.
Who are Broadsword Online Games?
- The history of Broadsword is closely linked to its founder, Rob Denton. In 1995, he started Mythic Entertainment after joining forces with game designer Mark Jacobs (founder of Adventures Unlimited Software).
- They specialized in making various online titles such as Aliens Online and Dragon’s Gate. But the studio was probably best known for their Dark Age of Camelot, an MMORPG launched in 2001 and originally published by Vivendi.
- In 2006, Mythic Entertainment was acquired by Electronic Arts and renamed EA Mythic. It went on to develop Warhammer Online: Age of Reckoning, a rather unsuccessful MMORPG that was released in 2008 and closed in 2013.
- After the studio changed its name to BioWare Mythic, Denton served as its general manager and COO. However, EA decided to close the subsidiary in 2014.
- Denton then co-founded Broadsword Online Games to further support Dark Age of Camelot. Currently, the studio also maintains the development and operation of Ultima Online.
- Other key people on the Broadsword team include producer Bonnie Armstrong, game designer Greg Havlusch, artist Jim Crawley, and more.
- Last year, Rob Denton also co-founded Loric Games to develop a brand new co-op survival RPG.