General manager of BioWare Aaryn Flynn announced that he is leaving BioWare after working in the company for 17 years, according to a news post on BioWare’s official website.
“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,” said Flynn about exiting the studio. “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.”
His replacement will be Casey Hudson, a game developer and a key component to the Mass Effect trilogy. Hudson had previously left the studio in 2014 so that he could “hit the reset button” and focus on his future, according to IGN.
In 2015, Hudson joined Microsoft as the creative director at Microsoft studios, according to a blog post on Microsoft’s official blog. His main focus at the studio was on the HoloLens, an AR headset with a built-in computer (if you want to learn more about HoloLens, watch this E3 2015 video that shows how to use it with Minecraft, from Kotaku’s YouTube channel).
“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,” said Flynn. “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 recent years, BioWare has released AAA games such as Dragon Age: Inquisition and Mass Effect Andromeda. The newest game in the Mass Effect franchise was filled with bugs and issues when it was released, along with people criticizing the game’s animations for not looking up to date. Since the issues started to arise, BioWare has been sending out free patches and updates for the game.
“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,” said Flynn in his closing statement. “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 – you.”
BioWare’s next game is Anthem, which was first revealed at EA’s E3 press conference, EA Play, this year. The RPG tells the story of the Freelancers, a group of people who have retreated into hiding from the beasts that dwell in what was left of civilization. You and and your friends can explore the dense, ever-changing landscape and fight against those who want to take over the world.
More information can be found on Anthem‘s official website, and a gameplay trailer for Anthem can be found on Anthem‘s official YouTube channel.
Although it is sad to see Flynn go (I mean, he has spent 17 years in the company), a veteran in both gaming and in BioWare will be taking over the position. I have faith that BioWare will be able to move forward into the future with their new release, Anthem, slated for released in Fall 2018 on Xbox One, PlayStation 4 and PC under the direction of a new general manager.
Featured image via BioWare’s official news page.
