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Two Key BioWare Leads Leave The Studio

Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah are retiring to make way for a new generation of developers.

By jeremy winslow on December 4, 2020 at 7:06AM PST

BioWare's Casey Hudson (general manager) and Mark Darrah (Dragon Age: Inquisition executive producer) are retiring from the studio to make way for a new wave of creators. Hudson will be replaced by interim general manager Gary McKay (senior director of development operations) and Darrah's role will be filled by Christian Dailey (BioWare Austin studio director).

"It's not an easy decision to make, and big changes like this always come with a certain degree of sadness," Hudson wrote in a farewell post on the BioWare blog. "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."

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Now Playing: Mass Effect Legendary Edition Teaser Trailer

Darrah echoed Hudson's sentiment, saying he's confident in BioWare's pedigree as a studio and is certain the Dragon Age series will live on without him spearheading development.

"This has been a very difficult decision for me," Darrah wrote in his farewell statement. "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 and Hudson have been with BioWare for over 20 years, with Darrah working as a lead programmer on the Baldur's Gate series and Hudson starting as a technical artist on MDK2. Hudson would eventually become creative director on the original three Mass Effect games. Writer Mac Walters took over as director for Mass Effect Andromeda.

Hudson had previously left BioWare in August 2014, after which he joined Microsoft Studios (now Xbox Game Studios) as creative director in May 2015. After a brief stint at Microsoft, Hudson returned to BioWare in July 2017 as general manager, replacing Aaryn Flynn.

BioWare recently unveiled the Mass Effect: Legendary Edition, which bundles the first three Mass Effect games and spruces them up with better resolutions and higher frame rates. This package launches in Spring 2021. The studio is hard-at-work on another Mass Effect entry.

The studio also confirmed that Dragon Age 4 is currently in development but didn't share any details about the game, including an estimated release window or targeted launch platforms.

BioWare is also still toiling away at Anthem, which is currently being overhauled to "reinvent the core gameplay loop," according to Hudson. This 2.0 version of Anthem (effectively called Anthem Next) is still coming, but the studio said the redesign is going to be a long process.

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931

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Why is it the only time we hear from Bioware nowadays is when senior staff are leaving?

5 • 4 years ago

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mogan Moderator

@Yomigaeru: We just heard about them announcing the Mass Effect trilogy remaster.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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@mogan: saying that you're re-releasing a trilogy of games that everybody has already played isn't exactly 'news'. It's a neat perk, but...

3 • 4 years ago

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mogan Moderator

@Person4: Yeah, but, again, it's recent news from BioWare that isn't a bunch of top staff leaving.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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@mogan: Oh please...Remasters are a dime a dozen, not to mention there was rumors they were doing that WAY before they officially revealed it.

4 • 4 years ago

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mogan Moderator

@toonami4life: It’s something we recently heard from BioWare that wasn’t senior staff leaving.

Upvote • 4 years ago

17660

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@Yomigaeru: Because they haven't made anything of value in like...eight years.

6 • 4 years ago

PrpleTrtleBuBum

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PrpleTrtleBuBum

@Thanatos2k: lot of game studios have about 8 years breaks between valuable games... but they usually make 1 game per 5 years.

i still think ea either made or reinforced this happening. the last properly good game as mass effect 2 and it was probably halfway done under ms game studios before ea snatched the thing. but seeing how ms studios degraded around then im not sure things would be any better now.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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@PrpleTrtleBuBum: Bioware has released six games in those eight years!

2 • 4 years ago

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Lol it's like they just copy/pasted a Bioware press release. Bioware's talent has slowly moved onto better developers, unhindered by the imbeciles at EA who have effectively destroyed one of the great developers of all-time. Andromeda was a disaster, Anthem somehow managed to be even worse. Can't believe this is the same company that gave us masterpieces like Baldur's Gate, Mass Effect and Dragon Age.

11 • 4 years ago

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@infinity1: I live in Edmonton and one of my buddies has been working in Bioware for the past 5 years. Bioware's downfall has nothing to do with EA, just shitty senior management and poor decisions.

4 • 4 years ago

deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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Edited By deactivated-64efdf49333c4

@chaosbrigade: A large part of the Anthem fiasco can be attributed to EA forcing Bioware to adopt the Frostbite engine, not giving them proper documentation and support for said engine, and then releasing the game too soon instead of letting Bioware fix all of the game's problems. And let's not forget all the lies around ME3.

So, no, EA is very much a large part of downfall.

3 • 4 years ago

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Edited By chaosbrigade

@Barighm: You are completely incorrect.

Bioware had been using Frostbite to make their games since Dragon Age Inquisition, that's 5 years before Anthem came out.

Dragon Age 2 was the only game that was bad directly because of EA. It was originally just gonna be an expansion, but EA spent a lot of money acquiring Bioware and wanted to make some of the investments back, so they got the expansion to release as a full sequel.

Besides DA2, EA actually allows Bioware virtually free reins to do whatever they wanted. DA3? Bioware's decision. The awful ending for Mass Effect 3? It was Bioware's decision, EA actually knew nothing about it until the controversies. Mass Effect Andromeda's mess? It was Bioware again. One of the producers wanted to create a brand new studio Bioware studio in Montreal but it didn't work out, they have already spent 2 years developing Andromeda but their work was garbage and Bioware Edmonton had to start completely from scratch and rushed development to meet the deadline that was already 2 years overdue.

Anthem? Also completely Bioware's decision. EA gave the greenlight and gave them huge budget for it but it was Bioware's decision to make a multiplayer shoot-looter because they wanted to follow the trend.

EA gets a lot of flak from people that don't actually work inside the industry and don't know the truth. Sometimes studios just lose their magic and they never make the same great products again. Bioware had so much debt in 2008 it was actually going to go bankrupt if EA didn't step in to acquire it.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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Edited By jhcho2

@chaosbrigade said:

@infinity1: I live in Edmonton and one of my buddies has been working in Bioware for the past 5 years. Bioware's downfall has nothing to do with EA, just shitty senior management and poor decisions.

I find that hard to believe. Sure, the management currently might be shitty, but that's because the pioneering management staff have been leaving the company over the past 15 years, ever since EA bought them over. Is it also a pure coincidence that we have not gotten a game similar to what Bioware was known to be good at (eg. Baldur's Gate, Neverwinter Nights etc.) ever since EA bought over? Dragon Age: Origins was the last WRPG Bioware made without EA's influence; it's also the best in the series. Dragon Age II and III being relatively disappointing sequels is also a coincidence? Everything after that has been sci-fi shooting games....nothing to do with EA at all?

3 • 4 years ago

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Edited By chaosbrigade

@jhcho2: Dragon Age 2 was the only game that was bad directly because of EA. It was originally just gonna be an expansion, but EA spent a lot of money acquiring Bioware and wanted to make some of the investments back, so they got the expansion to release as a full sequel.

Besides DA2, EA actually allows Bioware virtually free reins to do whatever they wanted. DA3? Bioware's decision. The awful ending for Mass Effect 3? It was Bioware's decision, EA actually knew nothing about it until the controversies. Mass Effect Andromeda's mess? It was Bioware again. One of the producers wanted to create a brand new studio Bioware studio in Montreal but it didn't work out, they have already spent 2 years developing Andromeda but their work was garbage and Bioware Edmonton had to start completely from scratch and rushed development to meet the deadline that was already 2 years overdue.

Anthem? Also completely Bioware's decision. EA gave the greenlight and gave them huge budget for it but it was Bioware's decision to make a multiplayer shoot-looter because they wanted to follow the trend.

EA gets a lot of flak from people that don't actually work inside the industry and don't know the truth. Sometimes studios just lose their magic and they never make the same great products again. Bioware had so much debt in 2008 it was actually going to go bankrupt if EA didn't step in to acquire it.

Upvote • 4 years ago

deactivated-64efdf49333c4

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deactivated-64efdf49333c4

@infinity1: It's not. Technically, in legal documentation, they were renamed EA Edmonton years ago, and the turnover is somewhere in the 75% rate since then. It really can't be said that it's the same company.

3 • 4 years ago

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@Barighm: but how can that be when @chaosbrigade above has a "friend" who works at Bioware the last 5 years & EA has nothing to do with their downfall.... /s

Upvote • 4 years ago

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@twztid13 said:

@Barighm: but how can that be when @chaosbrigade above has a "friend" who works at Bioware the last 5 years & EA has nothing to do with their downfall.... /s

Dragon Age 2 was the only game that was bad directly because of EA. It was originally just gonna be an expansion, but EA spent a lot of money acquiring Bioware and wanted to make some of the investments back, so they got the expansion to release as a full sequel.

Besides DA2, EA actually allows Bioware virtually free reins to do whatever they wanted. DA3? Bioware's decision. The awful ending for Mass Effect 3? It was Bioware's decision, EA actually knew nothing about it until the controversies. Mass Effect Andromeda's mess? It was Bioware again. One of the producers wanted to create a brand new studio Bioware studio in Montreal but it didn't work out, they have already spent 2 years developing Andromeda but their work was garbage and Bioware Edmonton had to start completely from scratch and rushed development to meet the deadline that was already 2 years overdue.

Anthem? Also completely Bioware's decision. EA gave the greenlight and gave them huge budget for it but it was Bioware's decision to make a multiplayer shoot-looter because they wanted to follow the trend.

EA gets a lot of flak from people that don't actually work inside the industry and don't know the truth. Sometimes studios just lose their magic and they never make the same great products again. Bioware had so much debt in 2008 it was actually going to go bankrupt if EA didn't step in to acquire it.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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Edited By chaosbrigade

@twztid13 said:

@Barighm: but how can that be when @chaosbrigade above has a "friend" who works at Bioware the last 5 years & EA has nothing to do with their downfall.... /s

My friend is Eric Wong, he's the senior environment and level designer for Bioware since Dragon Age Inquisition. Look him up in the credits.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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Bioware's been dead for a while, so changing out leadership really won't make much of an impact.

5 • 4 years ago

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@DAOWAce: You have many examples out there on how changing leadership can affect a studio/publisher dramatically (both for good or worse), even for "dead" ones.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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Not a loss when the company is over-spending, well reported for awful management/ terrible team communication and for our end (gamers) they cannot deliver a good product worth the whole debacle.

Bioware has very little to salvage. Other staff members would be wise to hand in their notice too, and prey they have something worth the labours to get work elsewhere.

EA are certainly no shortage of blame to what has happened, yet all I read from this developer is excuses and complaints of poor staff treatment. Terrible.

4 • 4 years ago

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@RSM-HQ: I live in Edmonton and one of my buddies has been working in Bioware for the past 5 years. Bioware's downfall has nothing to do with EA, just shitty senior management and poor decisions.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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I'm not anti-Bioware (yet) as the Bioware of my childhood has been gone for quite some time, and I still enjoyed ME: Andromeda despite thinking it a poor installment in an otherwise great series. DA: Inquisition was actually a lot of fun IMO as well, not sure why people are always so down on that game.

So in either case, if I was going to freak out about Bioware, it would have happened a long time ago. They're just games, after all.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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Again?! Seriously, I thought Casey Hudson at least would stick around a bit longer before getting the urge to wander off again considering he left Anthem at a very inopportune moment in its development when it clearly was in need of his leadership and creative vision. Oh well, looks like I’ll be passing on future entries in their Mass Effect and Dragon Age series since at the rate folks are leaving the studio, it’ll likely be coded by the janitor before too long. 😑

4 • 4 years ago

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I had little to no hype for the next Dragon Age or Mass Effect, this now solidifies that I have no excitement from anything Bioware produces. Sad to see one of the greats, fall so deeply.

7 • 4 years ago

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🤣

5 • 4 years ago

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fox_fury Online

Lol this article changed its headline from actual informative news to hot clickbait in a matter of minutes. 😄

6 • 4 years ago

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Edited By Warlord_Irochi

@fox_fury: You pretty much described Gamespot's recent history in a single sentence. Nice one, man :)

3 • 4 years ago

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All hopes of Mass Effect being done right just got outright obliterated.

Bioware = yet another great company stabbed to death by the overwhelming corporate hands of EA.

4 • 4 years ago

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@fud_sang: I live in Edmonton and one of my buddies has been working in Bioware for the past 5 years. Bioware's downfall has nothing to do with EA, just shitty senior management and poor decisions.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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@fud_sang: "All hopes of Mass Effect being done right just got outright obliterated."

That was funny... LOL

2 • 4 years ago

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Damn. Sony bend. 343 studios. Now this. If only neil druckmann would leave naughtydog. Or if todd howard would at least stay away from the fallout franchise.

Upvote • 4 years ago

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The only good knew I receive from BioEAre since the end of ME2... To be perfect is to also receive the new that Mac Walters is also leaving... but that would be way to good to be real...

Upvote • 4 years ago

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-"Darrah and Hudson are retiring from BioWare in order for a new generation of developers to fill their shoes."-

Translation: The Bioware fans fell in love with is done.

-SHEPHARD DOWN NINJA APPROVED-

7 • 4 years ago

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@videogameninja: "Translation: The Bioware fans fell in love with is done."

Yes... But that already happened a long time ago, it started in the end of ME1 and have the finish blow in the end of ME2...

3 • 4 years ago

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@blindbsnake: Wow. Really?

You are one of the only people I have heard say that. Most people l have interacted with feel that happened during ME3.

I can see why you say that though. I remember there were some individuals who felt that ME2 lost some of the charm that made the first become so popular but most felt that the finishing blow was 3 (or more appropriately, the end of 3.).

Either way, Bioware hasn't done themselves any favors with the fans over the years.

-BIOWARED OUT NINJA APPROVED-

4 • 4 years ago

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Edited By Thanatos2k

@videogameninja: DA2 and ME2 (when it went from shooter RPG to shooter) were when it became clear EA was running the show. It took another game before Mass Effect went into the toilet, but that was because DA:O and ME2 were already in development when EA took over and the influence couldn't fully ruin them.

3 • 4 years ago

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@videogameninja: "Most people l have interacted with feel that happened during ME3."

It started when EA entered the chat...

Then in the end of ME2 when Drew and Chris L'Etoile left... and the moron, I mean Supermac, I mean Mac Walters... took control of the writing... It began in the Arrival dlc, you can clearly see the writing dying... and then yes, that thing called ME3...

Dont get me wrong, ME2 was my favourite game, even with its flaws, but after ME3 is just a sad memory of a love who died...

5 • 4 years ago

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Edited By Thanatos2k

Remember, Casey Hudson, creator of the Mass Effect 3 ending and teller of an avalanche of marketing lies about Mass Effect 3, was brought back to work...on Anthem!

Now he bails out again, after another debacle.

5 • 4 years ago

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@Thanatos2k:

Have a rec. I for one have not forgotten Hudson's serial lies on Mass Effect 3. Some people have short memories of such things, but they should not be forgotten.

It is worth mentioning that he had some good successes in the industry that produced some of the earlier Bioware gems, but his recent run has not been great.

All-in-all, this seems like a good time for him to hang up the cleats.

3 • 4 years ago

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Time for Bioware to take that walk with PapEA.

4 • 4 years ago

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