If you’re a fan of BioWare, you’ve likely heard of Casey Hudson. He has been a major name with the developer for almost 20 years all together, three of which were as the studio’s general manager.
Hudson presided over all three of the original Mass Effect games and became the general manager back in 2017 after a three year hiatus.
Now, Hudson, along with another BioWare mainstay Mark Darrah, will be leaving BioWare, as confirmed by parent company EA.
According to the announcement, the two have decided to “retire.”
EA has not yet named a replacement for Hudson, and is currently in the process of finding a new general manager.
“Well friends, after nearly 20 total years with BioWare, including three years as Studio GM, the time has come for me to move on and make way for the next generation of studio leaders,” Hudson said on Twitter.
On the official BioWare website, he goes on to say, “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.”
Darrah served as an executive producer on the Dragon Age franchise, which is currently in the midst of creating a fourth title. He will be replaced by Christian Dailey, the studio director for BioWare Austin.
“This has been a very difficult decision for me,” Darrah said. “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.”
It seems a bit odd that two major names at BioWare would suddenly retire in the middle of so many large projects. The aforementioned Dragon Age 4, the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, and the re-launch of Anthem are all currently underway.
It’s also a bit of a head scratcher that a studio’s general manager would retire and the company would have no replacement already lined up. Typically, when someone leaves a top post like that of their own volition, it is planned out beforehand and they help train their replacement.
It should also be noted that Hudson presided over recent flops like Mass Effect: Andromeda and Anthem. He was also one of the key figures who created the ending to Mass Effect 3, which was hugely unpopular with the fanbase.
EA’s chief studios officer, Laura Miele, issued a statement about these departures.
“When I think about BioWare’s future and the next generation of talent in the place, I could not be more confident or optimistic,” she said. “As we look to the studio’s future and the projects currently under development, the next generation of BioWare talent is leading the studio forward and working on some incredible games that I know you will be excited to experience in the coming years.”
