Dragon Age creative director Mike Laidlaw has left BioWare after 14 years

Longtime BioWare veteran Mike Laidlaw, whose credits include Dragon Age, Mass Effect, and Jade Empire, has departed the studio according to a Tweet he sent out earlier today. Laidlaw's most recent position with the company had been Creative Director on the Dragon Age series and had even let loose the news that a Dragon Age project was in the works last month.

Here's Laidlaw's Tweet:

Seemingly to assuage any fan fears (of which there usually are many), Laidlaw said that he has "every confidence that the world we've created together is in good hands" and said that he was "excited" for what the franchise has in store.

It also appears as though Laidlaw will be taking some time off as he referenced a desire to spend time "reconnecting with all the amazing games and worlds" that other developers have made. When you spend so many hours a week at work, it can be incredibly challenging to find time for personal gaming time, let alone even having a life. Laidlaw also has a Twitch account, which he references in his goodbye message, so it looks like he will spend time streaming and connecting with fans.

As for Dragon Age, BioWare has plans for two games, although the next game is said to be a spinoff rather than an official entry in the series. There's no word on when either game will be ready, but given how near the Mass Effect: Andromeda struggles are for the studio, it'd probably be wise if BioWare went dark for a while to be able to work uninterrupted on a game that probably has a lot of pressure attached to it.

[Mike Laidlaw via Gamespot]