Greg Zeschuk | |
|---|---|
 Zeschuk in 2007 | |
| Born | Gregory Zeschuk 1969 |
| Known for | BioWare |
| Awards | Lifetime Achievement Award (Game Developers Choice Awards, 2013)[2] Member of the Order of Canada, 2018[3] |
Gregory ZeschukCM (born 1969)[4] is a Canadian businessman who was a VP atElectronic Arts and General Manager atBioWare Austin until 2012. He co-foundedvideo game developer BioWare inEdmonton in 1995 withRay Muzyka and Augustine Yip, after all three earned their medical degrees from the University of Alberta.[5] Zeschuk announced his retirement from BioWare on September 18, 2012.[6] He is currently involved in a number of projects related to the craft-beer industry, including the production of a web-based interview show known as "The Beer Diaries."[7] Greg is also the chairman of the board of the smart playground technology startup, Biba Ventures based in Vancouver, BC.
In 2009, he was chosen byIGN as one of the top 100 game creators of all time alongside Ray Muzyka.[8]
Zeschuk was born and raised in Edmonton, Alberta, Canada.[1] Growing up, Zeschuk played many role-playing games, includingDungeons & Dragons, saying he felt they were "always the strongest experience." During his childhood, he spent one summer making games on hisApple II computer with a group of his friends.[5]
Zeschuk attended the University of Alberta, studying medicine, where he met fellow medical studentsRay Muzyka and Augustine Yip working on medical simulation programs.[9] During their residency, the first software they produced was called theAcid-Base Simulator. Zeschuk graduated in 1992,[10] and was appointed Research Associate in the Division of Studies in Medical Education along with Muzyka.[11] Zeschuk then spent two years training in both the US and Canada. In 1994, he and Muzyka began working on a piece of medical simulator software calledGastroenterology Patient Simulator. While working on this, the team realised they were more passionate about video game development rather than medical software.[10] Zeschuck, Muzyka and Yip pooled together $100,000 and set out to make their first game.[9] BioWare was incorporated on 1 February 1995 in a small room in Zeschuk's basement.[11]
| Year | Title | Role |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | Shattered Steel | President and Joint-CEO |
| 1998 | Baldur's Gate | Lead Production |
| 1999 | Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast | Lead Production |
| 2000 | Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn | Executive Producer |
| MDK 2 | Executive Producer | |
| 2001 | Baldur's Gate II: Throne of Bhaal | Executive Producer |
| 2002 | Neverwinter Nights | Co-Executive Producer (withRay Muzyka) |
| 2003 | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic | Joint CEO |
| 2004 | Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic II | Special Thanks |
| 2005 | Jade Empire | Co-Executive Producer |
| 2006 | Neverwinter Nights 2 | Special Thanks |
| 2007 | Mass Effect | Executive Producer (President) |
| 2008 | Sonic Chronicles: The Dark Brotherhood | President |
| 2009 | Mass Effect: Galaxy | Director of Development |
| Dragon Age: Origins | Vice-presidents (RPG/MMO Group) | |
| 2010 | Mass Effect 2 | Co-founder and VP |
| 2011 | Dragon Age II | General Manager, BioWare Austin |
| Star Wars: The Old Republic | Co-founder, BioWare and BioWare MMO Business Unit General Manager, BioWare Austin General Manager, Vice President, EA | |
| 2012 | Mass Effect 3 | Co-founder BioWare, BioWare MMO Business Unit General Manager, BioWare Austin General Manager, Vice President, EA |
At theGame Developers Choice Awards, on March 27, 2013, Zeschuk received the Lifetime Achievement Award.[2]
On December 27, 2018, Zeschuk was appointed to the Order of Canada.[3]
A subsidiary ofElectronic Arts | |
| Baldur's Gate | |
| Neverwinter Nights | |
| Star Wars | |
| Mass Effect | |
| Dragon Age | |
| Other games | |
| Cancelled games | |
| People | |
| Related | |
