Mass Effect series project director Casey Hudson departs BioWare

Mass Effect series project director Casey Hudson has left BioWare to start the next phase of his life, studio general manager Aaryn Flynn announced today on the company’s blog.

Hudson, Flynn recounts in the post, spent almost 16 years with the company, starting as a technical artist on Neverwinter Nights and climbing the ladder to project director on 2003’s Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and, eventually—and perhaps what he’s most known for—fulfilling those same responsibilities on the Mass Effect trilogy.

“After what already feels like a lifetime of extraordinary experiences, I have decided to hit the reset button and move on from BioWare,” Hudson wrote in a letter to the rest of the BioWare team. “I’ll take a much needed break, get perspective on what I really want to do with the next phase of my life, and eventually, take on a new set of challenges.”

“But while I feel that the time has come, this is without a doubt the most difficult decision of my career,” he added. “BioWare is as magical a place today as it was when I started. The projects we are working on are some of the most exciting and prestigious in the world. The talent in our teams is second to none. And the people here are some of my closest friends. I’ve spent more time with many of you than my own family, and I have enjoyed every day of it.”