[ATTACH=CONFIG]15469[/ATTACH]
In what can only be described as a bit of "holy crap" news, comes this dual story from BioWare. Today, Aaryn Flynn announced that he is leaving BioWare and EA. Taking the reigns from him for General Manager of BioWare is Casey Hudson?That's right, Casey Hudson is back as the General Manager at BioWare. This comes about three years after "retiring" from the gaming industry and about two years after joining Microsoft to work on Xbox and HoloLens.
Whew, that's already a lot to take in. Both Flynn and Hudson expressed their feelings today in separate blog posts on the BioWare website. First up, let's see what Aaryn Flynn has to say on his departure.
After 17 years with BioWare, today I announced that I’ll be leaving the studio at the end of July, and that Casey Hudson is returning to Edmonton to take on the role of General Manager for BioWare.(...)
From my first day until now, I have learned much, met great colleagues and friends, and got the chance to help give players some truly incredible experiences. Every time I think I’ve found a favourite game making experience, we start something new and somehow find fun and satisfaction in the new challenges.
I have been contemplating changes in my own life for some time, but when I heard that Casey had confirmed he was up for the task, I realized the opportunities before us. I will be working with him over the next couple of weeks to help catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be.
In closing, let me thank our players for everything they’ve given us over these many years, and to say from the bottom of my heart how important you are to me and the rest of BioWare. I have gone to work every day knowing that I am fortunate to have all of the opportunities I have had at BioWare because of you. Doing whatever I could to help our developers create some of the best games in the industry for you all has been the most humbling experience of my life. Now, I’ll be playing BioWare’s games in the future from an exciting new perspective – yours
Aaryn
From my first day until now, I have learned much, met great colleagues and friends, and got the chance to help give players some truly incredible experiences. Every time I think I’ve found a favourite game making experience, we start something new and somehow find fun and satisfaction in the new challenges.
I have been contemplating changes in my own life for some time, but when I heard that Casey had confirmed he was up for the task, I realized the opportunities before us. I will be working with him over the next couple of weeks to help catch him up and do my part to set him up for success to be the best GM he can be.
In closing, let me thank our players for everything they’ve given us over these many years, and to say from the bottom of my heart how important you are to me and the rest of BioWare. I have gone to work every day knowing that I am fortunate to have all of the opportunities I have had at BioWare because of you. Doing whatever I could to help our developers create some of the best games in the industry for you all has been the most humbling experience of my life. Now, I’ll be playing BioWare’s games in the future from an exciting new perspective – yours
Aaryn
Casey Hudson also shared his thoughts on "coming home" to BioWare to replace Flynn.
(...)The last few years have been transformative for me, from having time to reflect on what I most want to do, to working with new technologies at platform scale. And now, I’m thrilled to have the opportunity to return to lead BioWare – a studio that I think of as home.
I’d also like to wish my good friend Aaryn Flynn the very best in the future. Aaryn and I have worked together from the earliest days of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, to setting the foundation for Anthem. We’ve been through a lot together, and we’re all going to miss his presence at the studio.
I think I speak for everyone who has worked with Aaryn – and our fans – when I say thank you for everything. BioWare continues to hold a special magic – full of profoundly talented people, and an inspiring creative energy. When I look at the stunning progress Aaryn and the team has made with Anthem, and the other projects in the works, I truly believe our best is yet to come.
I’d also like to wish my good friend Aaryn Flynn the very best in the future. Aaryn and I have worked together from the earliest days of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, to setting the foundation for Anthem. We’ve been through a lot together, and we’re all going to miss his presence at the studio.
I think I speak for everyone who has worked with Aaryn – and our fans – when I say thank you for everything. BioWare continues to hold a special magic – full of profoundly talented people, and an inspiring creative energy. When I look at the stunning progress Aaryn and the team has made with Anthem, and the other projects in the works, I truly believe our best is yet to come.
Well then, I suppose a "welcome back" to Casey Hudson and a "best of luck in your future endeavors" to Aaryn Flynn is the only appropriate thing to end this with.
It's also my understanding that a lot of the issues that plagued the development of Mass Effect Andromeda came from "issues" with upper management. Given Hudson's work on the original Mass Effect trilogy, I have faith in him. His work tends to speak for itself (Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: KOTOR, Neverwinter Nights, etc.).
This reminds me of my university days where our President abruptly resigned without notice after failing to cancel Economics and Women's Studies programs (his idea of saving money on our educational budget), after getting severe backlash from us, the board, and the committee. So our previous President who retired for less than three months, was dragged back in until they could find a new President. Of course what actually happened at BioWare I don't know, since they're claiming they're leaving on good terms, and to be honest the detail in both statements convinces me they're telling the truth. But unusual nature of this switcheroo reminds me of that example.