Mass Effect producer Casey Hudson leaving Bioware
Well, this was unexpected. Just two months after appearing in a video at E3 touting his team’s new IP, Casey Hudson has left Bioware. The executive producer of the Mass Effect series had spent 16 years with the Edmonton based company, and his departure comes as a bit of a shock to fans. Read on for all the details.
The announcement came earlier today in the form of a letter Hudson wrote to his co-workers. In the letter, Hudson states that he has decided to hit the “reset button” and move from Bioware. After taking a well deserved break, he intends to take on a new set of challenges. He also takes time to thank the fans, calling their enjoyment of his games the “defining achievement” of his career. He leaves Bioware after 16 years of work, starting as a technical artist on Neverwinter Nights, and moving all the way up to lead development on the Mass Effect series, one of the most innovative and well known franchises of the past console generation.
What this means for the mysterious new IP Hudson was developing at Bioware is unclear. In his letter, Hudson states that the project’s foundation is complete, and that his team is beginning to move into pre-production. He states that the project is in good hands, and will “redefine interactive entertainment.” It’s been widely rumored that Bioware’s “You’ve Been Chosen” teasers are tied directly to this new IP, and that an unveiling will be happening next week at Gamescom, in Cologne Germany. But according to Bioware general manager Aaryn Flynn, the teasers have nothing to do with Hudson’s brand new universe.
