Dragon Age Executive Producer Mark Darrah and BioWare General Manager Casey Hudson have simultaneously announced that they're leaving the company, although the Mass Effect and Dragon Age franchises will carry on in their absence.
As IGN reports, both executives made their announcement at the same time today. Their departures may lead fans to be concerned about the future of BioWare's games, but everyone involved feels that they'll be in good hands going forward.
"I like to think I have helped make some of your lives a little better. I hope I’m right." – Mark Darrah
"This has been a very difficult decision for me," Dragon Age Executive Producer Mark Darrah said in a blog post. "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."
Darrah is not the only loss for the company today — General Manager Casey Hudson has also announced his departure. Neither Mark Darrah nor Casey Hudson have indicated what they'll be doing next, but Hudson says that he still has "tremendous creative energy" that he would like to harness in his own separate blog post.
"Arriving at this point has been an opportunity for me to reflect on my own future, and 2020 has been a year that forced all of us to re-imagine how we think about work and life," Casey Hudson said in his blog post. "For me, it’s been the realization that I still have tremendous energy to create, but also that I need to try something different. I’m not sure exactly what that is yet, but I know that I want to start by rediscovering my creative passion through more personal work."
Who's in Charge at BioWare Now?
With the departure of General Manager Casey Hudson, one might wonder who will be in charge of BioWare going forward. That honor falls on Gary McKay, a man who currently serves as Senior Director of Development Operations.
"One of the things that makes these decisions easier is knowing that BioWare will move forward with a strong and complete set of studio leaders," Casey Hudson explained. "We have a very talented leader in Gary McKay, our Sr. Director of Development Operations, who will be BioWare’s interim Studio GM. Christian Dailey has been a driving force for BioWare as Studio Director for BioWare Austin and will be taking over the role of Dragon Age’s Executive Producer. Gary and Christian will have the support of an experienced group of project and department leaders who are ready to guide BioWare into the future."
"It’s profound and humbling to look back on a decades-long career and think about the things we’ve achieved together. It’s hard to make the decision to move on, but I’m excited about what’s next, for all of us." – Casey Hudson
The departure of these two key executives also comes alongside some new additions. As EA's Chief Studios Officer Laura Miele explains, former Blizzard Entertainment developer Christian Dailey will be taking the reins on the next Dragon Age project.
If that name sounds familiar, it's because Christian Dailey is the Studio Director for the company's Austin location. He's the man behind all of those lengthy Anthem blog posts that detail the new systems in the works for the future reboot; it's unclear how his new role will affect his involvement with Anthem. Most recently, he detailed some planned changes to Anthem's skill system.
BioWare is currently searching for a new General Manager. In the meantime, all of the studio's projects will continue despite the departure of Mark Darrah and Casey Hudson.
What do you think of Mark Darrah and Casey Hudson leaving BioWare? Does this make you worry about the company's projects that are currently in progress? Let us know in the comments below!
