In January of this year the publishers of Magic the gathering, Wizards of the coast unveiled a new video game development studio Archetype entertainment which is most noted for its two main writer’s ex BioWare veterans and now mass effect 1 and 2 lead writer Drew Karpyshyn has confirmed that he’s joined the team too.
Archetype’s head is former BioWare creative director James Ohlen who previously worked on titles like Dragon Age: origins, Baldur’s Gate, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. Chad Robertson, {BioWare} will be vice president and general manager.
Drew Karpyshyn who left BioWare twice will now join the studio in Austin Texas as lead writer.
Announcing his new position Karpyshyn wrote:” “When I started at BioWare, everything was fresh and exciting. It was a dream job – talented people working together to create epic games like Baldur’s Gate, KOTOR, Mass Effect and Dragon Age. But as we grew and became more successful, things changed. We became more corporate. We were less able to make what we loved, and the teams were pushed to create games based on market research rather than our creative instincts and passions. My dream job became just a job, and I lost the enthusiasm and excitement I once had.
“But with Archetype, my passion has been rekindled. The feel in the studio reminds me of my early days at BioWare; I can feel the magic in the air. And even though I can’t get too deep into the specifics of what we’re working on yet, we’re already generating plenty of excitement in the industry. I know we have big shoes to fill. With BioWare, I was part of a legacy that will endure forever. We created some of the most beloved CRPGs of the past two decades. But I truly believe at Archetype we have the talent and the opportunity to do something just as amazing!”.
All we know about the new project is that it will be a “multi-platform roleplaying game set in a new science fiction universe” which promises to be an exciting prospect from the Wizards Of The Coast studio.
This new company’s mission statement reads:
“We believe there will always be a place for story-driven roleplaying games that put the player at the center of an epic personal narrative with impactful choices. We are building games that represent the diversity of our audience.”
So, with this exciting prospect of future greatness let’s hope we are not disappointed and I am sure I speak for others too when I say the future looks bright in the field of roleplaying gaming.