BioWare Veteran Discusses Burnout in Sci-Fi RPG Exodus: “It’s a Constant Balancing Act”

James Ohlen, the lead designer behind Baldur’s Gate 2, spent over 22 years at BioWare, a titan in the RPG genre. In 2018, he ventured out to cofound Archetype Entertainment, where he began developing a new sci-fi RPG titled Exodus, which has drawn comparisons to Mass Effect. However, he departed from the studio under unclear circumstances last year, describing the experience as one that “nearly killed me.”

In a recent interview, he shared, “As a creative, you care about everything so much, and then as the head of the studio, you have to be cutting the baby in half all the time, and having people attack your vision constantly. I definitely wouldn’t put myself in that situation again; that’s not a healthy place to be.”

Exodus is an ambitious RPG shooter featuring time dilation effects that allow players to witness the repercussions of their choices unfold across various worlds over centuries. Interestingly, it also involves Matthew McConaughey in some capacity. The project is being funded by Wizards of the Coast, which seems eager to leverage its rich lore and extensive world-building as a foundation for new tabletop RPGs, trading card games, and possible movie or TV adaptations. With a release date set for 2027, this project will span a pandemic, three presidential administrations, and potentially several console generations.

Ohlen recounted the tough contract negotiations with Peter Hamilton and the bureaucratic challenges at Wizards. He noted that managing a new studio while leading the creative direction of a fresh IP took a significant toll on him. “All the people I know that have headed up studios because they love it, and I hate it,” he remarked, expressing his difficulties without a “hotshot executive producer” to buffer the creative aspects of Exodus’ production from upper management.

Now, the industry veteran is focusing on a series of RPG adventure books alongside former BioWare creative director Jesse Sky. It seems he’s not planning to return to the realm of video game startups anytime soon.