Two weeks ago, we reported on the foundation of Archetype Entertainment, a new Austin-based game development studio owned by Wizards of the Coast.

　　Archetype Entertainment is led by former BioWare developers such as James Ohlen and Chad Robertson, and now the old crew has just got bigger. Drew Karpyshyn, who was the main writer for acclaimed games like Mass Effect (1 and 2) and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, announced that he's joining the studio with a blog post that went up on his personal website.

　　Karpyshyn also explained that the goal with Archetype is to try and find again that old BioWare magic which is now gone due to the new 'corporate' structure of the company.

　　Fortunately for me, I have another gig now. I’m proud to announce that I’m the lead writer for Archetype Entertainment!Founded by James Ohlen – the creative genius behind BioWare hits like Baldur’s Gate, KOTOR and Dragon Age – Archetype is a new video game studio under the Wizards of the Coast umbrella… and I haven’t been this excited to work on a project in a long, long time! (Side note: I’ve always enjoyed working with WotC; they even published my first novel!)

　　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.

　　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!

　　Archetype Entertainment is now working on a Sci-Fi RPG based on an original setting. Stay tuned for more info on the game as it becomes available.