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James Ohlen Retires from BioWare to 'Take a Break from the Industry' - Star Wars: The Old Republic -

SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129
edited July 2018 in News & Features Discussion

imageJames Ohlen Retires from BioWare to 'Take a Break from the Industry' - Star Wars: The Old Republic - MMORPG.com

Star Wars: The Old Republic News - BioWare's James Ohlen has retired from the company after 22 years. In a brief Twitter post, Ohlen wrote, "After 22 years, I have retired from BioWare. I've loved my time with Anthem, Star Wars, Dragon Age and Dungeons & Dragons. But I need to take a break from the industry and work on something a little smaller and more personal."

Read the full story here



¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


Linif

Comments

  • AlbatroesAlbatroes Member LegendaryPosts: 7,671
    edited July 2018
    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.
    PhrykjohioLinif[Deleted User]AlomarTuor7FlyByKnightmrputtsinfomatzGorwe
  • SBFordSBFord Former Associate EditorMember LegendaryPosts: 33,129

    Albatroes said:

    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.



    Interesting thought, though not without merit. As I was writing it up, I was pondering that Ohlen was truly one of the last "old guard" BioWare devs. *sighs* Ah the good old days.

    Young whippersnappers don't know NUTHIN' about real RPGs. *sniffs imperiously* Dang kids these days.
    PhryLinif[Deleted User]marganculosXingbairongTuor7AlbatroesRnjypsyinfomatzMrMelGibsonand 2 others.


    ¯\_(ツ)_/¯ 


  • PhryPhry Member LegendaryPosts: 11,004
    SBFord said:

    Albatroes said:

    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.



    Interesting thought, though not without merit. As I was writing it up, I was pondering that Ohlen was truly one of the last "old guard" BioWare devs. *sighs* Ah the good old days.

    Young whippersnappers don't know NUTHIN' about real RPGs. *sniffs imperiously* Dang kids these days.
    Remember when games told stories, now its just games as a service. dagnabbit!
    LinifSBFord[Deleted User]marganculosAlomarAlverantrojoArcueidmrputtsinfomatzMrMelGibsonand 3 others.
  • kjohiokjohio Member UncommonPosts: 35
    edited July 2018

    Albatroes said:

    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.



    I agree with your spidy sense. Last of the old guards gone. I think he is the 4th or 5th top member of the Anthem team leaving in past 12 months (need to check). I am not touching Anthem at launch - happy with Warframe for the moment and can always re-sub WoW if I get fantasy itch.
    SBFordDarkpigeonrojoArcueid
  • ImNotHarryImNotHarry Member UncommonPosts: 27
    Sad to hear that. I still hope it's not connected to Anthem and I wish him luck with his further career.
    SBFordThupliMrMelGibsonTacticalZombeh
  • AlomarAlomar Member RarePosts: 1,299
    Good luck to him, but boy is the single word "Bioware" depressing these days.
    deniterSBFordMrMelGibsonGorweXarkoTacticalZombeh
    Haxus Council Member
    21  year MMO veteran 
    PvP Raid Leader 
    Lover of The Witcher & CD Projekt Red
  • ArglebargleArglebargle Member EpicPosts: 3,396
    It's EAoware, not Bioware.   Standard practice for EA with the game companies they engulf.   I'm just surprised that any of the top dogs were still there at all.  They usually get cleared out by the  3rd year.  Ohlen must be made of sterner stuff.
    Tuor7infomatz

    If you are holding out for the perfect game, the only game you play will be the waiting one.

  • EmeraqEmeraq Member UncommonPosts: 1,063
    He mentioned loving a lot of what Bioware did in the past, including D&D, which I'm assuming he meant BG 1 and 2 and NwN? and then mentioned working on something near and dear to his heart... Could he possibly be joining Beamdog in the future?
    SBFordThupli
  • [Deleted User][Deleted User] Posts: 0
    edited July 2018
    The user and all related content has been deleted.
  • AlbatroesAlbatroes Member LegendaryPosts: 7,671

    SBFord said:



    Albatroes said:


    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.






    Interesting thought, though not without merit. As I was writing it up, I was pondering that Ohlen was truly one of the last "old guard" BioWare devs. *sighs* Ah the good old days.



    Young whippersnappers don't know NUTHIN' about real RPGs. *sniffs imperiously* Dang kids these days.



    Another underlying thing that was annoying me about Anthem was that they are "trying too hard" to "sell" the game if that makes sense. Like "Yeah Andromeda and BF2 were a hot mess in various areas but this game will be different, we promise!" Its definitely gonna be one of those "wait and see" games since "too much hype" always makes me end up not caring about the games trying to get hyped.
    SBFord
  • AlverantAlverant Member RarePosts: 1,320
    Good luck to him. Maybe when he's ready he can get the other ex-Bioware people together and make a new game company.

    Seriously, I think the only people who want to sell their companies to EA are people who want to get out of the industry with piles of money. No sane CEO should consider anything from EA given their history.
    SBFordTacticalZombeh
  • BakgrindBakgrind Member UncommonPosts: 423

    ImNotHarry said:

    Sad to hear that. I still hope it's not connected to Anthem and I wish him luck with his further career.



    Well at least he wont have to take it on the chin should Anthem fail. But, best of luck to him.
    SBFord
  • ValentinaValentina Member RarePosts: 2,081

    Albatroes said:

    My spider sense is telling me he's jumping ship before Anthem turns into a public dumpster fire. Wasn't there a lot of people jumping ship like a year into Andromeda's development? This should raise some flags, just saying.



    Here we go.
  • wandericawanderica Member UncommonPosts: 370
    My first thought too was, "Oh no, this must mean bad things to come." I'm not so sure that's the case. He's only in his mid 40s, though, so who knows? His Twitter links this website as the project he's working on. https://www.arcanumworlds.com/

    Looks interesting. Hopefully we'll see a Bioware-esque RPG from them one day. That setting looks really cool.
    MrMelGibsonSBFord[Deleted User]


  • BakgrindBakgrind Member UncommonPosts: 423

    wanderica said:

    My first thought too was, "Oh no, this must mean bad things to come." I'm not so sure that's the case. He's only in his mid 40s, though, so who knows? His Twitter links this website as the project he's working on. https://www.arcanumworlds.com/



    Looks interesting. Hopefully we'll see a Bioware-esque RPG from them one day. That setting looks really cool.



    His project does look interesting. I guess the indie gaming business will become even more lucrative for the developers who can make the games that triple A companies no longer want to make.
    SBFord[Deleted User]
  • LobotomistLobotomist Member EpicPosts: 5,965

    Emeraq said:

    He mentioned loving a lot of what Bioware did in the past, including D&D, which I'm assuming he meant BG 1 and 2 and NwN? and then mentioned working on something near and dear to his heart... Could he possibly be joining Beamdog in the future?



    Here here to joining Beamdog



  • MrMelGibsonMrMelGibson Member EpicPosts: 3,033

    wanderica said:

    My first thought too was, "Oh no, this must mean bad things to come." I'm not so sure that's the case. He's only in his mid 40s, though, so who knows? His Twitter links this website as the project he's working on. https://www.arcanumworlds.com/



    Looks interesting. Hopefully we'll see a Bioware-esque RPG from them one day. That setting looks really cool.



    Looks interesting,. I'll keep an eye on it. Thanks.
    http://www.gamespace.com/members/mrlobster/  - Me on Gamespace
  • psiicpsiic Member RarePosts: 1,640
    Interesting time for the last of the old bioware guard to jump ship. His new project looks interesting, maybe he should try and round up the real bioware team and bring them on board.
  • GruntyGrunty Member EpicPosts: 8,657
    He's taking a break from the industry so he can work on another project in the industry.  

    Uh huh.
    "I used to think the worst thing in life was to be all alone.  It's not.  The worst thing in life is to end up with people who make you feel all alone."  Robin Williams
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