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Casey Hudson leaves BioWare

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AcePartyN7

Member
Noooooooooooooooo! I wanted meet him so much a day! It is so much not expected! My love for BW and their games remain but wow! I know today enough of BW staff to say that indeed all their franchise especially Mass Effect are in very good hands.
 
D

Das_Blarthole

Neo Member
Poodlestrike said:
Damn shame he'll only be remembered around here for the ME3 ending thing, especially as people retroactively label all his work crap. Didn't know he was the Jade Empire guy, damn fine game.
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'You're only as good as your last album', as they say.

It'll be interesting to see what he does next
 
N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Darklord said:
Gotta say, it's threads like this that make developers really hate GAF and the reason people like Cliff B says GAF is a full of cunts.
Casey Hudson is one of the most achieved developers in the last decade and his games were beloved by GAF but because of one shitty ending everyone is saying how great it is that he's gone, leaving snarky remarks, and being a smartarse. His games were some of my most memorable gaming memories and I think it's a huge bummer he didn't get to end on a high note or make a new, awesome IP. I really hope he can find a new place, maybe in a smaller company, making new RPG's.
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If he gets back into gaming instead of piloting, I suspect it will be at a notably small studio like CliffyB did.

At EA he could basically make any AAAA game he wanted, but it would be much harder to make something that was like 15 people.
 
H

HP_Wuvcraft

Banned
adj_noun said:
I still hold onto the hope that someone (preferably a primary source) will write the story of how that ending came to be and Bioware's internal reaction the the blowback someday.
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I'm sure personally they didn't care, to the extent of reading comments on the internet and such. Professionally, we all saw what happened.
 
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nrvalleytime

Member
Darklord said:
Gotta say, it's threads like this that make developers really hate GAF and the reason people like Cliff B says GAF is a full of cunts.
Casey Hudson is one of the most achieved developers in the last decade and his games were beloved by GAF but because of one shitty ending everyone is saying how great it is that he's gone, leaving snarky remarks, and being a smartarse. His games were some of my most memorable gaming memories and I think it's a huge bummer he didn't get to end on a high note or make a new, awesome IP. I really hope he can find a new place, maybe in a smaller company, making new RPG's.
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Yeah.... I'm a little shocked actually. The picture I posted was a reference to Hudson's quote about family, but it feels like this thread is just plain nasty. Thankful the guy worked so hard so I could enjoy his vision.
 
M

Marcel

Member
Darklord said:
Gotta say, it's threads like this that make developers really hate GAF and the reason people like Cliff B says GAF is a full of cunts.
Casey Hudson is one of the most achieved developers in the last decade and his games were beloved by GAF but because of one shitty ending everyone is saying how great it is that he's gone, leaving snarky remarks, and being a smartarse. His games were some of my most memorable gaming memories and I think it's a huge bummer he didn't get to end on a high note or make a new, awesome IP.
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Big budget game developers hate a portion of their customer base. Shocking.

They produce content and I purchase it. I don't give a fuck what they think of me and they likely think the same thing.
 
D

Das_Blarthole

Neo Member
Nirolak said:
If he gets back into gaming instead of piloting, I suspect it will be at a notably small studio like CliffyB did.

At EA he could basically make any AAAA game he wanted, but it would be much harder to make something that was like 15 people.
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I suppose, but with the caveat, '.... any AAAA game he wanted, as long as the publisher thought it had legs, and were allowed some degree of creative control over it'
 
S

Simzyy

Member
Darklord said:
Gotta say, it's threads like this that make developers really hate GAF and the reason people like Cliff B says GAF is a full of cunts.
Casey Hudson is one of the most achieved developers in the last decade and his games were beloved by GAF but because of one shitty ending everyone is saying how great it is that he's gone, leaving snarky remarks, and being a smartarse. His games were some of my most memorable gaming memories and I think it's a huge bummer he didn't get to end on a high note or make a new, awesome IP. I really hope he can find a new place, maybe in a smaller company, making new RPG's.
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I just don't understand why people are so negative and hold a grudge for so long. I genuinely can't understand it. I know GAF is generally like this most of the time, but I wish it wasn't. Makes video game discussion kinda a shitty place.
 
T

Toa TAK

Banned
I came in for Mass Effect 3 ending jokes and am not disappointed.

However, he did give us Mass Effect and with that it is a bummer to see him leave. I look forward to whatever project he is going to work on next.
 
G

gogosox82

Member
Wow, this is pretty massive. He helped create some great games but I was never a fan of the direction they took ME in and its hard to forgive that ending to ME3. That said, best of luck to him. I wonder what this means for Bioware since the docs and Casey Hudson are gone now. I guess a lot it hinges on how good Inquisition is in regards to their future.
 
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Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Das_Blarthole said:
I suppose, but with the caveat, '.... any AAAA game he wanted, as long as the publisher thought it had legs, and were allowed some degree of creative control over it'
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They gave him both a new IP using basically all the team leads from his last projects and oversight on Mass Effect 4 along with seemingly 3.5-4+ year development cycles on both.

I'm not sure how much more you would feasibly expect to get when helming modern AAAA projects.

Now obviously they aren't going to greenlight something like Gone Home, which is why I proposed that if he went elsewhere in gaming, it would likely be very small, since that was more in the realm of projects out of his grasp.
 
M

Marcel

Member
Simzyy said:
I just don't understand why people are so negative and hold a grudge for so long. I genuinely can't understand it. I know GAF is generally like this most of the time, but I wish it wasn't. Makes video game discussion kinda a shitty place.
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Why do people gotta have differing opinions? What da hell man. We just gotta glomp and hug and smile all the time.

You like thing. OK.
 
S

Spaghetti

Member
Toxi said:
As someone who's no fan of most of his games and makes a lot of crude, mean-spirited comments... This seems too mean-spirited to me.

Best of luck to Mr. Hudson.
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head staff exodus is usually the first step before EA starts hollowing out a studio for either dissolving or repurposing. we knew this was going to happen when both the doctors left, now it's just getting closer.
 
D

Darklord

Banned
Nirolak said:
If he gets back into gaming instead of piloting, I suspect it will be at a notably small studio like CliffyB did.

At EA he could basically make any AAAA game he wanted, but it would be much harder to make something that was like 15 people.
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I would love to see him come back with a kickstarter or even join one of the small teams that are popping up now. Like a No Man's Sky kind of team or making a game like the recent Divinity. Something where he can go crazy with his skills.

Or better yet, eventually start a new studio with the doctors. Now that would be cool.
 
B

Bisnic

Really Really Exciting Member!
Eatchildren are you ok? Post if you're ok.

Sad to see him go, but "ME4" seems to be going in the right direction, so i'm not too worried.
 
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Toxi

Banned
Marcel said:
Big budget game developers hate a portion of their customer base. Shocking.

They produce content and I purchase it. I don't give a fuck what they think of me and they likely think the same thing.
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I think there's a difference between insulting a company in a thread about their business and insulting an individual in a thread about him leaving the company. I think we shouldn't treat developers like our friends, but we should treat them with respect as people.

Spaghetti said:
head staff exodus is usually the first step before EA starts hollowing out a studio for either dissolving or repurposing. we knew this was going to happen when both the doctors left, now it's just getting closer.
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I got the impression you were comparing Hudson leaving to shit getting flushed down the toilet. Sorry if I was mistaken.
 
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Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Darklord said:
I would love to see him come back with a kickstarter or even join one of the small teams that are popping up now. Like a No Man's Sky kind of team or making a game like the recent Divinity. Something where he can go crazy with his skills.

Or better yet, eventually start a new studio with the doctors. Now that would be cool.
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The Doctors legitimately don't seem interested in working in games. They could have easily gotten studios wherever they wanted or even funded their own if they did.

They're business entrepreneurs who had basically hit the ceiling of where they could go with that in gaming, and moved on to two different business ventures (one as an impact investor, the other running a web show about entrepreneurs who started in their basement like Ray and Greg did).
 
B

Bloomers

Member
This guy directed one of my all time favorite gaming IPs. I wish him the best of luck in his future endeavors.

and I honestly hope Mass Effect 3 had nothing to do with this (i.e. when the co founders left)
 
D

Das_Blarthole

Neo Member
Nirolak said:
They gave him both a new IP using basically all the team leads from his last projects and oversight on Mass Effect 4 along with seemingly 3.5-4+ year development cycles on both.

I'm not sure how much more you would feasibly expect to get when helming modern AAAA projects.
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Yes fair enough point conceded. Just thinking that sometimes the bigger the wheel of industry the more difficult it is to be agile and make changes in direction. Possibly with a smaller team there may be less bureaucracy in process and less expectations?
 
M

Marcel

Member
Toxi said:
I think there's a difference between insulting a company in a thread about their business and insulting an individual in a thread about him leaving the company. I think we shouldn't treat developers like our friends, but we should treat them with respect as people.
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I have not made any personal insults toward Casey Hudson the person. I'm sure he'll be fine wherever he ends up.
 
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Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Das_Blarthole said:
Yes fair enough point conceded. Just thinking that sometimes the bigger the wheel of industry the more difficult it is to be agile and make changes in direction. Possibly with a smaller team there may be less bureaucracy in process and less expectations?
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Casey is very wealthy. With a tiny team he could self fund anything he wanted (that was indie in scope) and not ever have to actually worry about making money.

That's not something a publisher can really do if they want to be responsible to their investors.
 
A

anexanhume

Member
Nirolak said:
The Doctors legitimately don't seem interested in working in games. They could have easily gotten studios wherever they wanted or even funded their own if they did.

They're business entrepreneurs who had basically hit the ceiling of where they could go with that in gaming, and moved on to two different business ventures (one as an impact investor, the other running a web show about entrepreneurs who started in their basement like Ray and Greg did).
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And they go back to bioware to play games in development whenever they want. Bastards.
 
N

Novel Mike

Member
It's easy to blame him for ME3's ending and just not care... I don't blame him for that though...

I blame him for lying flat out during interviews about how they were taking into account all the massive choices you had to make over the course of the series and how that will effect the ending in the end.

So I won't miss him for that at least.


Guy did a lot of good and brought some great games to us but I don't like being lied to.
 
D

Darklord

Banned
Nirolak said:
The Doctors legitimately don't seem interested in working in games. They could have easily gotten studios wherever they wanted or even funded their own if they did.

They're business entrepreneurs who had basically hit the ceiling of where they could go with that in gaming, and moved on to two different business ventures (one as an impact investor, the other running a web show about entrepreneurs who started in their basement like Ray and Greg did).
Click to expand...

I know the Doctors are tired of gaming now but a lot of people like that just get burned out. Especially with what was going on with Bioware and The Old Republic. They're passionate, creative guys though and I hope one day they get that urge to make a game again. Look at Chris Roberts or even Cliffy B who left the industry then came back about a year later. I wouldn't expect them to join Bioware again or a big studio but a smaller, personal studio 100% under their control? I can see that. Just not for a while.
 
N

Nerokis

Member
Nirolak said:
The Doctors legitimately don't seem interested in working in games. They could have easily gotten studios wherever they wanted or even funded their own if they did.

They're business entrepreneurs who had basically hit the ceiling of where they could go with that in gaming, and moved on to two different business ventures (one as an impact investor, the other running a web show about entrepreneurs who started in their basement like Ray and Greg did).
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Indeed. And to hijack your point to make other one, Casey Hudson has been around for a very, very long time, and is leaving when Bioware actually seems positioned to have a sizable impact this generation.

In other words, calling this an "exodus" is a pretty inane reading of the situation.
 
M

Marcel

Member
Novel Mike said:
It's easy to blame him for ME3's ending and just not care... I don't blame him for that though...

I blame him for lying flat out during interviews about how they were taking into account all the massive choices you had to make over the course of the series and how that will effect the ending in the end.

So I won't miss him for that at least.


Guy did a lot of good and brought some great games to us but I don't like being lied to.
Click to expand...

To be fair, spinning lies, fabrications and exaggerations is not limited to Bioware but is a general problem in the industry.
 
A

ArkkAngel007

Member
AuthenticM said:
Is "AAAA" a thing now ?
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With how large costs keep being driven up, is it all that surprising? It's a measure of cost rather than production quality, despite those generally going hand-in-hand.

OT, it's probably for the best. I don't hold any ill-will over ME3 and his rumored actions in relation to it on a personal level (professionally and design-wise a different story), but it seemed like his place was shifting to something not in games all the same.

BioWare will be fine though. Dragon Age Inquisition looks great, and they have ME(4), a new IP, and a Star Wars game in the pipe.
 
A

Admiral Woofington

Member
Darklord said:
Gotta say, it's threads like this that make developers really hate GAF and the reason people like Cliff B says GAF is a full of cunts.
Casey Hudson is one of the most achieved developers in the last decade and his games were beloved by GAF but because of one shitty ending everyone is saying how great it is that he's gone, leaving snarky remarks, and being a smartarse. His games were some of my most memorable gaming memories and I think it's a huge bummer he didn't get to end on a high note or make a new, awesome IP. I really hope he can find a new place, maybe in a smaller company, making new RPG's.
Click to expand...

Cliffy B isn't exactly the most trustworthy vanilla opinion when it comes to issues in the gaming industry and community. Plenty of developers like GAF as well, so no need to make a blanket statement over a couple of jokes.
 
D

Das_Blarthole

Neo Member
Nirolak said:
Casey is very wealthy. With a tiny team he could self fund anything he wanted (that was indie in scope) and not ever have to actually worry about making money.

That's not something a publisher can really do if they want to be responsible to their investors.
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Agreed. There's definitely a freedom outside of Bioware that Casey wouldn't necessarily have on the inside because of EAs responsibilities to their investors.
 
A

Almighty

Member
Well I was going to just come in a say good riddance, but after some Googling I see he made Knights of the Old Republic so I have to thank him for that great game. Even if I think Obsidian stomped on it with the sequel. After that it was all down hill though so yeah I can see why there are people like me who aren't upset by this news. As they say you are only as good as your last project and ME3 left a very bad taste in my mouth.
 
S

Simzyy

Member
Marcel said:
Why do people gotta have differing opinions? What da hell man. We just gotta glomp and hug and smile all the time.

You like thing. OK.
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Now it was quite obvious that was not the point I was making. It's the relentless negativity which is jarring. In no way was I saying everyone should be cheering and praising constantly. Obviously ME3 has a lot of flaws for instance (side quests, conversation wheel, ending, rachni). It's far from perfect.

Opinions are good! But they can be presented in a constructive way and not just "fuck that game" "those guys suck". It's those kinda posts which just seem so pointless to me. But the main thing is that it ruins threads and doesn't promote any sort of discussion. There are plenty of games I dislike, but I have never felt compelled to go shit on them constantly.
 
N

Nirolak

Mrgrgr
Darklord said:
I know the Doctors are tired of gaming now but a lot of people like that just get burned out. Especially with what was going on with Bioware and The Old Republic. They're passionate, creative guys though and I hope one day they get that urge to make a game again. Look at Chris Roberts or even Cliffy B who left the industry then came back about a year later. I wouldn't expect them to join Bioware again or a big studio but a smaller, personal studio 100% under their control? I can see that. Just not for a while.
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It's certainly not impossible. It's just that in every post-leaving interview I've seen with them so far they sounded like they were uninterested in returning the same way that Brent Knowles and Drew Karpyshan have implied disinterest.
 
A

anexanhume

Member
Nirolak said:
It's certainly not impossible. It's just that in every post-leaving interview I've seen with them so far they sounded like they were uninterested in returning the same way that Brent Knowles and Drew Karpyshan have implied disinterest.
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Well, has anyone ever returned to Bioware?
 
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