Following the official reveal of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition on November 7th aka N7 Day, Bioware fans are in for another surprise. In a blog post on the official site. Laura Miele, Chief Studios Officer at Electronic Arts, revealed that Bioware GM Casey Hudson and Dragon Age Executive Producer Mark Darrah are leaving the studio.
Samantha Ryan will continue to oversee the studio while Christian Dailey will be leading the Dragon Age project currently in development. Mike Gamble continues leading the team hard at work on the future of Mass Effect.
Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah have shared their own letters to say farewells to the community:
“I’m incredibly fortunate to have had a career where I’ve been able to work with brilliantly talented people, create entire worlds from our imaginations, and see them being enjoyed by millions of people around the world. And now, after nearly 20 years of work at BioWare, I’ve made the decision to retire from the studio and make way for the next generation of studio leaders.” – said Casey Hudson. – “It’s not an easy decision to make, and big changes like this always come with a certain degree of sadness. I will miss being able to work every day with our inspiring developers on the biggest and most exciting projects I can imagine. But I also know that this is a good time for a change, for both myself and BioWare.”
“I have been at BioWare since the 90s. Back when CRPGs were considered a dead genre. Through the last 23 years, I have watched video games evolve and grow into a truly powerful communication medium. We are an important part of so many people’s lives. And BioWare has been a part of this journey. Though I remain confident in BioWare’s strength and continued place in this conversation, I have decided to retire from my position at BioWare.” – added Mark Darrah. – “This has been a very difficult decision for me. The team of amazing developers on Dragon Age, make my life fuller and better. They have taught me so much. But the strength of the team is also what makes this possible. I know that Dragon Age won’t just survive without me, it will thrive.”
Both developers wished the studio the best and said that they believe Bioware will be successful under the new leadership.
