View source for James Ohlen

{{short description|American video game designer}}
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| name                      = James Ohlen
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| occupation                = [[Game designer|Video game designer]], Founder of Arcanum Worlds
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*''[[Baldur's Gate (series)]]''
* ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (series)]]''
* ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]''
}}
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'''James Ohlen''' is a video game designer. He was Senior Creative Director of [[BioWare]] where he worked for 22 years prior to starting the publishing company Arcanum Worlds in 2018. In 2019, Ohlen became the lead of a new internal development studio [[Archetype Entertainment]] under [[Wizards of the Coast]] to develop new intellectual property and video games for the company.

==Career==

In his early career, Ohlen ran a comic store as well as two ''[[Dungeons & Dragons]]'' campaigns.<ref name="GInform">{{cite news |last1=Bertz |first1=Matt |title=Longtime BioWare Vet James Ohlen Retires From Games Industry |url=https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/07/12/longtime-bioware-vet-james-ohlen-retires-from-games-industry |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181205103230/https://www.gameinformer.com/2018/07/12/longtime-bioware-vet-james-ohlen-retires-from-games-industry |url-status=live |archive-date=December 5, 2018 |publisher=GameInformer |date=12 July 2018}}</ref> The campaigns were so popular that each had a waiting list.<ref name="GInform"/> BioWare founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk recruited Ohlen to work at the company based on his D&D skills.<ref>{{cite news |title=BioWare Bets Big With The Old Republic |url=https://www.fastcompany.com/1793534/bioware-bets-big-old-republic |publisher=Fast Company |date=19 November 2011}}</ref> At BioWare, part of his early work included testing on ''[[Shattered Steel]]'', then becoming the lead designer for ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]'' which was credited with making BioWare a successful company.<ref name="GInform"/> As a result of the success of Baldur's Gate, Ohlen was made the company's Director of Design. He continued to work as the lead designer on BioWare's Dungeons and Dragons titles including Baldur's Gate 2 and Neverwinter Nights. He later led up the design on ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]]'' and Dragon Age: Origins.<ref>(November 4, 2008). "New 'Star Wars' online game is 4-millennium rewind", ''[[Chicago Tribune]]'', p. 32.</ref>

In 2006 James Ohlen moved to Austin, Texas to set up a new studio for BioWare alongside Gordon Walton and Rich Vogel. That studio was responsible for the production of the MMORPG game ''[[Star Wars: The Old Republic]]''.<ref>{{cite news |title=Bioware Opens Austin MMORPG Studio |url=https://www.ign.com/articles/2006/03/13/bioware-opens-austin-mmorpg-studio |publisher=IGN |date=13 March 2006}}</ref>

In 2018 Ohlen retired from BioWare after 22 years to start up his own publishing company – Arcanum Worlds.<ref name="ENG">{{cite news |last1=Moon |first1=Mariella |title='Baldur's Gate' designer James Ohlen leaves BioWare after 22 years |url=https://www.engadget.com/2018/07/13/baldurs-gate-james-ohlen-bioware-departure/ |publisher=Engadget |date=13 July 2018}}</ref> The first book to be produced by Arcanum Worlds is ''Odyssey of the Dragonlords''.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Lanier |first1=Liz |title=James Ohlen Retires From BioWare, Working on Dungeons and Dragons Book |url=https://variety.com/2018/gaming/news/james-ohlen-retires-bioware-new-dungeons-and-dragons-book-1202872662/ |publisher=Variety |date=13 July 2018}}</ref>

[[Wizards of the Coast]] announced it was establishing a new Austin-based studio in April 2019 to develop new intellectual properties (IP), and had tapped Ohlen to lead it. Ohlen said that the offer was too good to pass up, and that "This is just an opportunity to work on projects as personal to me as the good ol' days of the '90s and early '00s."<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.gamesindustry.biz/articles/2019-04-24-james-ohlen-joins-wizards-of-the-coast |title = James Ohlen joins Wizards of the Coast | first= Brendan | last= Sinclair | date = April 24, 2019 | access-date = February 13, 2020 | work = [[GamesIndustry.biz]] }}</ref> By January 2020, Wizards of the Coast revealed the studio as [[Archetype Entertainment]], and that another former BioWare member, Chad Robertson, was named as vice-president and general manager.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-01-31-ex-bioware-vets-working-on-story-driven-sci-fi-game-at-new-wizards-of-the-coast-studio | title = Ex-BioWare vets working on story-driven sci-fi game at new Wizards of the Coast studio | first=  Matt | last = Wales | date = January 31, 2020 | access-date = February 13, 2020 | work = [[Eurogamer]] }}</ref> A month later, [[Drew Karpyshyn]], yet another former BioWare member, came on board Archetype as lead writer.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2020-02-12-mass-effect-lead-writer-drew-karpyshyn-joins-ex-bioware-vets-new-wizards-of-the-coast-studio | title = Mass Effect lead writer Drew Karpyshyn joins ex-BioWare vets' new Wizards of the Coast studio | first =Matt | last = Wales | date = February 12, 2020 | access-date = February 12, 2020  |work = [[Eurogamer]] }}</ref> Ohlen was able to continue Arcanum Worlds under the deal, though the studio would not use any of the IP developed through Arcanum.<ref>{{cite web | url = https://venturebeat.com/2019/04/24/wizards-of-the-coast-taps-baldurs-gate-star-wars-knights-of-the-old-republic-designer-james-ohlen-for-new-studio/ | title = Wizards of the Coast taps Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic designer James Ohlen for new studio | first = Jason | last =Wilson  |date = April 24, 2019 | access-date = February 13, 2020  |work = [[Venture Beat]] }}</ref>

==Works==

===As Lead Designer/Creative Director===
* ''[[Baldur's Gate (video game)|Baldur's Gate]]'' (1998)<ref name="Euro">{{cite news |last1=Purchese |first1=Robert |title=Decorated designer James Ohlen retires from BioWare after 22 years |url=https://www.eurogamer.net/articles/2018-07-13-decorated-designer-james-ohlen-retires-from-bioware-after-22-years |publisher=Eurogamer |date=13 July 2018}}</ref>
* ''[[Baldur's Gate: Tales of the Sword Coast]]'' (1999)<ref name="Euro"/>
* ''[[Baldur's Gate II: Shadows of Amn]]'' (2000)<ref name="Euro"/>
* ''[[Neverwinter Nights (2002 video game)|Neverwinter Nights]]'' (2002)<ref name="Euro"/>
* ''[[Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic (video game)|Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic]]'' (2003)<ref name="Euro"/>
* ''[[Dragon Age: Origins]]'' (2009)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Dammes |first1=Matthias |title=Report: Ist Bioware wirklich noch Bioware? |url=http://www.pcgames.de/Bioware-Firma-15280/Specials/Report-Ist-Bioware-wirklich-noch-Bioware-1225127/ |publisher=PC Games |date=4 November 2017 |language=de}}</ref>
* ''[[Star Wars: The Old Republic]]'' (2011)<ref>{{cite news |title=New 'Star Wars The Old Republic' Expansion: Free Trial Of Prequel Story Live |url=https://www.inquisitr.com/3316865/new-star-wars-the-old-republic-expansion-free-trial-of-prequel-story-live/ |publisher=Inquisitr |date=17 July 2016}}</ref>

===Other games===
* ''[[Shattered Steel]]'' (1996)<ref name="GInform"/>
* ''[[Jade Empire]]'' (2005)<ref name="GBS">{{cite news |title=BioWare's James Ohlen Talks Game Design |url=http://www.gamebanshee.com/news/118971-bioware-s-james-ohlen-talks-game-design.html |publisher=Game Banshee |date=23 May 2017}}</ref>
* ''[[Mass Effect (video game)|Mass Effect]]'' (2007)<ref name="GBS"/>
* ''[[Anthem (video game)|Anthem]]'' (2019)<ref>{{cite news |last1=Donnelly |first1=Joe |title=If Anthem doesn't succeed, it won't be the end of BioWare, thinks ex-studio designer |url=https://www.pcgamer.com/if-anthem-doesnt-succeed-it-wont-be-the-end-of-bioware-thinks-ex-studio-designer/ |publisher=PC Gamer |date=24 July 2018}}</ref>
* ''[[Shadow Realms]]'' (Cancelled)<ref>{{cite web|title=An Important Update on Shadow Realms|url=https://www.shadowrealms.com/blog/an-important-update-on-shadow-realms|accessdate=February 10, 2015|url-status=dead|archiveurl=https://archive.today/20150210082441/https://www.shadowrealms.com/blog/an-important-update-on-shadow-realms|archivedate=February 10, 2015}}</ref>

==References==
{{reflist}}

==External links==
* [https://www.arcanumworlds.com/ Arcanum Worlds official website]
* {{cite web|url=http://www.bioware.com/10years/10_years_of_bioware.html |title=10 Years of Bioware Interview|archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20061025011700/http://www.bioware.com/10years/10_years_of_bioware.html|archive-date=October 25, 2006}}
* {{moby developer|id=6525}}

{{Bioware}}
{{Baldur's Gate}}
{{Star Wars Knights of the Old Republic series}}
{{Dragon Age}}
{{Authority control}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Ohlen, James}}
[[Category:BioWare people]]
[[Category:Canadian video game designers]]
[[Category:Dungeons & Dragons video game designers]]
[[Category:Living people]]
[[Category:Year of birth missing (living people)]]