Casey Hudson and Mark Darrah announce departure from BioWare
"They will always be an essential part of the studio's history", says EA.
BioWare general manager Casey Hudson and Dragon Age executive producer Mark Darrah have announced their departure from the studio.
Hudson began his tenure at BioWare back in 1998, eventually serving as project director on the likes of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Mass Effect. He parted way with the company for the first time in 2014, but returned, after a brief spell at Microsoft, in 2017.
In a new post announcing his retirement from the position of general manager at BioWare in order to "make way for the next generation of studio leaders", Casey wrote, "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," he continued, "But I also know that this is a good time for a change, for both myself and BioWare."
Mark Darrah - who has served as executive producer on all BioWare's mainline Dragon Age games - offered similar sentiments in his own departure post, writing that his decision to retire from his position at BioWare was a "very difficult" one.
"The team of amazing developers on Dragon Age, make my life fuller and better," he continued, "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."
Christian Dailey, who joined BioWare from Blizzard, will lead the studio's latest Dragon Age project following Darrah's departure. Gary McKay, BioWare's senior director of development operations, will serve as acting general manager while EA seeks to fill the role.
In a supplementary statement, EA's chief studios officer Laura Miele wrote, "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 studio's history, we appreciate their many contributions, and we look forward to seeing what they'll each do next."