Mass Effect Writer Joins Wizards of the Coast Game Studio

The name "Archetype Entertainment" might not be well known in the video game industry just yet, but it seems it will only be a matter of time. The studio was recently formed by Wizards of the Coast, with the goal of building a multiplatform RPG. To help them in this endeavor, the company has hired former BioWare employee Drew Karpyshyn, whose credits include the lead writer position on the first two entries in the Mass Effect franchise, as well as the senior writer on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. With such beloved games on his resume, the hiring should be quite the coup for Archetype Entertainment, moving forward!

Karpyshyn is now the third former employee of BioWare to join the team; James Ohlen and Chad Robertson also joined the developer over the last few weeks. On his website, Karpyshyn discussed his recent work with Storyscape, and his hopes for the future at Archetype.

"I've been in the video game industry for twenty years now. 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."

The closure of Storyscape has resulted in a number of former staffers currently searching for work, so it's nice to see Karpyshyn land on his feet. Karpyshyn seems quite optimistic about Archetype Entertainment's future, which should give fans of games like Mass Effect and KOTOR plenty of reason to get excited. One thing is for certain: with Wizards of the Coast bringing on talent like Karpyshyn, the future certainly looks bright, to say the least!

Are you excited to see what Archetype Entertainment does next? What do you think of Karpyshyn's hiring? Let us know in the comments or share your thoughts directly on Twitter at @Marcdachamp to talk all things gaming!