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BioWare just announced the departure of two of its most senior leaders in a single announcement, though it wants to reassure fans that projects like Dragon Age 4 and the Mass Effect franchise still have a bright future.
Both BioWare general manager Casey Hudson and Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah wrote letters to the community where they gave their thanks to the studio and its fans, and explained that they knew it was a good time to move on. They join a growing cadre of senior leaders that have left the studio in recent years, including James Ohlen, Drew Karpyshyn, David Gaider, and Ben Irving.
"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," Hudson wrote. "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."
Hudson first joined BioWare in 1998, though he departed from the company in 2015 and rejoined as general manager in 2017 in the leadup to Anthem. Mark Darrah has been with the studio even longer, and has been involved with the Dragon Age franchise since its beginning.
"Dragon Age will be in good hands," Darrah wrote. "Christian Dailey will be moving into the Executive Producer role. Christian Dailey is a strong leader and will provide great insight into the rest of the Dragon Age leadership who remain. This is a team that includes people with decades of experience at BioWare. I am confident that, together, this is the team that can make this Dragon Age the best one yet."
Dailey is also leading work on the next stage of Anthem's development. Gary McKay, the studio's director of development operations, will take over as interim general manager as EA and BioWare search for a new permanent head for the studio.
BioWare announced both Mass Effect Legendary Edition and an untitled new Mass Effect game during N7 Day celebrations last month.
