Mass Effect writer returns to BioWare after three year break

Former BioWare lead writer Drew Karpyshyn has returned to the studio to work on its narrative-driven MMO, Star Wars: The Old Republic. 

Karpyshyn, who co-wrote Mass Effect 2 and originally took the lead on The Old Republic, left the developer back in February 2012 to spend more time writing novels. 

Speaking on his blog, where he also announced his departure, Karpyshyn explained that after finishing his Chaos Born trilogy of novels he'd decided the time was right to return to the games industry. 

"Working at BioWare was a challenging but very rewarding job, and it’s good to be back as part of the team," said the writer. 

"I suspect a lot of folks are going to wonder if this means BioWare is about to announce a new project tied to my return. The short answer: no. I originally came to the Austin studio many years ago to work on The Old Republic and – at least for now – that’s what I’m focusing on again."