BioWare head writer leaving gaming

BioWare is known for its storytelling, but the studio behind Star Wars: The Old Republic and Mass Effect has just lost one of its chief narrative architects.

BioWare senior writer Drew Karpyshyn announced via his blog this week that he has left BioWare to focus on writing novels and other non-gaming works. He had been with BioWare for more than 12 years.

Karpyshyn most recently contributed to the fiction of Star Wars: The Old Republic, on which he served as senior writer. He also co-wrote the story of Mass Effect 2, as well as novels based in the Mass Effect universe.

Karpyshyn said his departure from BioWare was "completely amicable, and 100 percent my decision." He said he enjoyed his run at BioWare but that it was "time to move on."

While Karpyshyn has left BioWare, he remains at work on the next novel in the Star Wars: The Old Republic franchise, which he said he is not at liberty to share details on.

Past BioWare projects Karpyshyn contributed to include Neverwinter Nights, Jade Empire, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (his first lead writing role), Mass Effect, and Mass Effect 2.