LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez resigns

LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez has resigned, prompting the company to begin a search for new leadership. Kotaku reports that several members of Rodriguez's executive team have also departed. A LucasArts representative confirmed the change to IGN, noting that Lucasfilm's Jerry Bowerman will lead while a replacement for Rodriguez is sought.

"Darrell Rodriguez has resigned and we have initiated a search for a new leader," the statement read. "Jerry Bowerman - a member of the Lucasfilm Board of Directors and a games industry veteran - will be stepping in to lead the LucasArts executive team during this transition. Lucasfilm remains fully committed to making great games and we continue to invest in our business."

Rodriguez once dubbed the revitalization of classic LucasArts games -- such as The Secret of Monkey Island: Special Edition - a "passion project." With a spruced-up sequel already on the way, it seems the publisher will continue carrying out his vision, at least within the near future.

Reader Comments (15)

Time for a new Shadows of the Empire game

YES!!!

Still waiting for a sequel to Republic Commando.

I just might have fallen in love...

Before Republic Commando came out, they had announced a sequel called "Imperial Commando" that would take place after Order 66, where you kill off Jedi. Unfortunately the game's sour reception and sales nixed any chances of that. It's a damn terrible shame, I loved Republic Commando's gritty feeling and lack of any Jedi, and Imperial Commando would've only made that even better. Who wouldn't want to Order 66 the Jedi Order themselves?

Too bad. I hope whoever replaces him also likes the classic adventure games.

No doubt.

I know that Telltale now owns the rights, and they're certainly doing a respectable job with the franchise, but I positively salivate at the thought of "Sam & Max Hit the Road" getting the SE treatment. It would almost make up for the cancellation of "Freelance Police".

Almost.

Note to Darrell's successor: X-Wing vs. Tie Fighter remake. That is all.

Amen!

I got all excited before the Spike Game Awards last year hoping that it was X-Wing vs TIE that they were announcing. I wasn't disappointed by Force Unleashed 2 announcement, but I was really hoping for a new Star Wars space combat simulator.

That's what happens when you hire someone with 7 years of industry experience to run a publisher.

I guess someone at Lucasfilm finally realized that you can't make a great game, simply by adding more and more layers of useless process. Sometimes you have to let the creative people actually go out and make the game.

Unless you've worked at LucasArts under the current regime it's probably hard to appreciate how good this is for Lucas.

Strange, considering the quality of LucasArts games, added process wouldn't be helpful at all. They've been hurting recently because of the outsourcing and poor project choices.

Was this guy at least part of the movement to bring development back in-house?

Crazy times at the Presidio.

Seriosuly though, I hope this does bring about a change. Over the past years, the only "true" Lucasarts game we've gotten has been Force Unleashed. Everything else has been stuff published from other developers. Time for them to step it up and bring back the awesome Star Wars and adventure games that are sorely missed.

Hey, new president of LucasArts! If you're reading this, I've got three words for you:

UNCANCEL FREELANCE POLICE.

That is all.

Ballistic H @ May 7th 2010 9:13AM

Still waiting for a sequel to Republic Commando.
---------------------------------------------------------------------------------
What if I told you that there is a better-nothing-chance of this being made? Just have to keep your eyes and ears open for the next.... couple of years.

Let's hope that Rodriguez doesn't follow in Jim Ward's footsteps and carpetbag into another state to run for Congress. Ward also left as President of LucasArts under suspicious circumstances, less than 2 years ago, he gave 2 weeks notice for "personal reasons" which some think was sexual harassment. His tenure as president was marked by a petition from gamers to fire him - http://www.petitiononline.com/fireward/petition.html. Now he's in Arizona as a carpetbagger trying to run for Congress, even though he's never voted in his life and has no roots in Arizona. Failed presidents have no business using their failed presidency as a jumping board to carpetbag for Congress.

LucasArts president Darrell Rodriguez resigns

Reader Comments (15)

Posted: May 7th 2010 8:34AM Frivolous said

Posted: May 7th 2010 8:59AM technoKyle said

Posted: May 7th 2010 9:13AM Ballistic H said

Posted: May 7th 2010 12:37PM Mmmmz said

Posted: May 7th 2010 12:52PM RogueJedi86 said

Posted: May 7th 2010 9:59AM dantebk said

Posted: May 7th 2010 5:31PM Flakk said

Posted: May 7th 2010 10:18AM HappyFunBall said

Posted: May 7th 2010 11:28AM soatari said

Posted: May 7th 2010 10:20AM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 7th 2010 1:28PM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 7th 2010 10:26AM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 7th 2010 2:42PM Bad Asp said

Posted: May 9th 2010 6:36AM (Unverified) said

Posted: May 27th 2010 2:28PM (Unverified) said

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