BioWare studio GM and Dragon Age lead are both leaving company

Casey Hudson, BioWare’s general manager, and Mark Darrah, the executive producer of the Dragon Age franchise, are both leaving the company before the end of the year, BioWare announced today.

EA executive Laura Miele announced the departures in a corporate blog post. “I want to personally thank Casey and Mark for everything they have done for the BioWare community, and particularly for our players,” Miele wrote. “They will always be an essential part of the studio’s history, we appreciate their many contributions, and we look forward to seeing what they’ll each do next.”

Leaving is “not an easy decision to make,” Hudson said. Hudson served as project director on the Mass Effect trilogy before departing BioWare in 2014. He returned in 2017 to take on the role of general manager.

“When I became Studio GM a little over three years ago, our goal as a leadership team was to position our people and projects for long-term success,” Hudson said. “Now, as BioWare celebrates its 25th anniversary, the studio is poised for an exciting new era of amazing games. It’s an exciting time, both in terms of projects you’ve heard about and some things not yet announced.”

Darrah similarly expressed confidence in the studio where he has worked for more than 20 years. “This has been a very difficult decision for me,” he 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.”

BioWare has been working hard this year to assure its ardent fans that new installments in both its banner franchises, Mass Effect and Dragon Age, are on their way… eventually. In August, the studio dropped a sizzle reel featuring concept art for the eventual, as-yet-untitled Dragon Age 4 at GamesCom. Although the tease gave no glimpse of gameplay or potential release window, it did feature designers and voice actors at work against a dazzling array of concept art.

Last month, not only did Hudson himself confirm that a full remaster of the much-loved original Mass Effect trilogy is in the works for spring 2021, he also dropped the surprise announcement that another game in the Mass Effect franchise is under development at BioWare.

All of those projects will be continuing, Hudson and Darrah assured fans. Going forward, Christian Dailey—currently studio head of BioWare Austin—will be helming Dragon Age. The Mass Effect side of things will be led by Mike Gamble, who was a producer on Mass Effect: Andromeda and lead producer of Anthem.