James Ohlen, a veteran in the video game industry, has opened up about his experience with burnout while working on the sci-fi RPG Exodus. Ohlen, a former lead designer at BioWare, left the company in 2018 to found Archetype Entertainment and develop Exodus, a game that has drawn comparisons to Mass Effect. However, Ohlen's journey with Exodus took an unexpected turn when he departed from his new studio before the game's release, citing a challenging and stressful environment that nearly cost him his health.
In an interview with PC Gamer, Ohlen revealed the pressures of being both a creative force and a studio head, stating, '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.' This metaphorical 'cutting the baby in half' represents the constant need to balance creative vision with the demands of studio management, a task that Ohlen found increasingly difficult and unhealthy.
The development of Exodus has been a complex process, with Ohlen detailing difficult contract negotiations with author Peter Hamilton and bureaucratic hurdles at Wizards of the Coast, who are funding the project. Ohlen also mentioned the lack of a 'hotshot executive producer' to shield the creative side of the game from the higher-ups, which further contributed to the stress.
Despite the challenges, Exodus continues to be an ambitious project, with a unique gameplay mechanic involving time dilation and a vast, lore-rich world. The game is set to release in 2027, marking a significant milestone in its development. However, Ohlen's departure from Archetype Entertainment suggests that the game's future may now be in the hands of new leadership.
In a surprising turn of events, Ohlen is now focusing on a series of RPG adventure books with former BioWare creative director Jesse Sky. This shift away from video game development indicates a desire to explore different creative avenues and potentially avoid the pressures of the startup game industry. Ohlen's experience with Exodus serves as a cautionary tale for developers, highlighting the importance of maintaining a healthy work-life balance and the potential consequences of burnout.
