Chief Studio Officer of EA Laura Miele has announced today thatCasey Hudson and Mark Darrah are departing from BioWare Studio. Hudson is primarily known for being the Director ofMass Effect, Mass Effect 2,ÂandÂMass Effect 3,but has been the Studio General Manager for the studiosince he returned to BioWare in 2017. Darrah has been an Executive Producer on theDragon Age FranchiseÂsince its conception in 2008 and has been with the studio for 23 years.
Miele gave thanks to both Hudson and Darrah and their impact on the studio and its history. “I want to personally thank Casey and Mark for everything they have done for the BioWare community, and particularly for our players. They will always be an essential part of the studioâs history, we appreciate their many contributions, and we look forward to seeing what theyâll each do next,” said Miele. Until a new Studio General Manager is found, Gary McKay who is currently the Senior Director of Development Operations will be moving up to the position in an interim setting.
CaseyandMarkwrote their own farewell statements thanking BioWare for their long careers and to the founders Greg Zeschuk and Ray Muzyka for giving them the chance to be apart of the studio. Darrah goes into detail in his statement on the status of theÂDragon AgeÂseries and more specifically the new upcoming entry. Matthew Goldman who is seemingly the Creative Director for the untitledDragon Age 4Âwill remain in that position while BioWare’s Austin Studio Manager Chrisitan Dalley will now move into Darrah’s vacant Executive Producer role for theDragon Ageseries. Goodman previously held the position as a Senior Artist forDragon Age: OriginsÂand Art Director forÂDragon Age IIÂandÂInquisition.ÂMass Effect: Legendary EditionÂis still being worked on alongsideÂDragon Age 4and Series Producer Mike Gamble will overlook the series.
Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah did make clear that wherever they will be going next it will not be together. They are both seeking their own different ventures as they still want to create games.
Despite the departure of the two studio icons, Miele is still confident that BioWare will find success in the future. “When I think about BioWareâs future and the next generation of talent in place, I could not be more confident or optimistic,” Miele explains. “As we look to the studioâs 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.”
BioWare is currently working onÂMass Effect: Legendary Edition, the nextDragon Age, and a newÂMass EffectÂtitle. There is still no relative knowledge on the status ofAnthemsinceHudson stated earlier this year that the game was being reworked.
