Display MoreIt was this past October when longtime BioWare developer Mike Laidlaw announced his retirement from the company after 14 years. Having been a leading creative force in not only the realm of Dragon Age, but also with the likes of Mass Effect and Jade Empire, Laidlaw’s departure was definitely an upset for fans of those epic adventures. Recently, he opened up about why he decided to leave BioWare, as well as what he’s been up to since his departure.
In the most recent episode of the The Game Informer Show podcast, Laidlaw revealed several of his current goings-ons, which includes his game-streaming exploits as well as his formal job of secretive consultant work with other studios. He also went on to discuss why he left BioWare, a decision he attributes to wanting a change of scenery following his extended 14-year experience with the studio. Laidlaw described the feeling as a “seven-year itch, times two”.
Mike Laidlaw further explained that his departure occured at a considerably opportune time. BioWare was in the midst of ramping up development on Anthem, and as such required extra assistance from members of his Dragon Age team. He spoke about his desire to pursue other efforts even before this time and with this new lull in production, it presented ample opportunity to leave BioWare without disrupting work on a potential game. Laidlaw called the decision “difficult”, but he ultimately felt it was the right time to go.
When presenting his departure to BioWare head Casey Hudson, Laidlaw voiced his relief when the boss was “super understanding” of his situation, having gone through a comparable experience himself. Hudson had previously left BioWare under similar circumstances back in 2014, but returned to become the new head of the studio just last year. When the topic landed on whether the former Dragon Age director could also make a return, Laidlaw joked:
You never know. Maybe I’ll head out, go work for Microsoft for five years, and come back and be in charge of the whole studio. Who knows?It’s not outside the realm of possibility, right?”
What do you think? Are you glad to learn Mike Laidlaw left BioWare for his own reasons, or are you more interested in finding out those secret games he’s been consulting for? Do you think he’ll ever be back at BioWare? Let us know in the comments below and be sure to follow Don’t Feed the Gamers on Twitter to be informed of the latest gaming and entertainment news 24 hours a day! For more BioWare news from recent weeks, check out these next few links:
- Mass Effect Andromeda Fixpack Mod Addresses Many Unresolved Issues
- BioWare’s Anthem Could Feature First Person View Mode
- Potential Dragon Age Microtransactions Addressed By BioWare GM
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