For RPG fans, this is a significant figure: Ohlen worked at BioWare for many years and participated in the creation of Baldur’s Gate, Dragon Age, and Mass Effect.
According to Hasbro's Vice President of Corporate Communications, Abby Hodes, the decision was made without conflict:
At this stage, James decided that his work on the game was completed, and the finalization and polishing of the project are in the reliable hands of the teams.
The company clarified that Ohlen himself asked to change his creative focus to concentrate on tabletop RPGs. At the same time, he is not severing ties with Hasbro and will remain a creative consultant.
In parallel, Hasbro is strengthening its leadership: Paul Della Bitta, a veteran of Blizzard and co-founder of Dreamhaven, will become the new head of Wizards of the Coast Digital Ventures. He will report directly to Wizards of the Coast President John Hite.
Exodus has been in development since 2019, has been postponed several times, and is now scheduled for release in early 2027. Major personnel changes at a late stage of production inevitably raise questions about the integrity of the vision and the final quality of the project.