Former Dragon Age: Dreadwolf boss is making a new game for the publisher of D&D and Magic: The Gathering

Skeleton Key
(Image credit: Skeleton Key)

Former Dragon Age 4 executive producer Christian Dailey, who left BioWare in February, has joined D&D and Magic: The Gathering publisher Wizards of the Coast to head up a new game studio called Skeleton Key.

Dailey's career in the games industry goes back more than 30 years, from a testing credit on Might and Magic: Dark Side of Xeen through Lords of Everquest, The Last Airbender, multiple Blizzard games, and BioWare's ill-fated shooter Anthem. He took over as executive producer of Dragon Age: Dreadworld in December 2020, following the surprise departure of Mark Darrah.

"I am excited to be starting this new adventure with the company that has created so many of my favorite toys and games growing up," Dailey said in a statement. "Hasbro and Wizards of the Coast have been a huge influence on me, their brands have inspired my pursuit of a lifelong career in videogames. We are looking forward to growing our studio team with more talented creators who share our passion."

Dailey didn't reveal what the studio will be working on, but it will apparently be something in the horror (or horror-adjacent) genre: The Skeleton Key website says its mission "is to create immersive gameplay, unique stories, and thought-provoking moments of suspense and horror that guide players to have fun while facing their fears." There's also a little skull in the Skeleton Key logo, which is pretty well on-point, and if you mouseover it for a few seconds the keyhole also turns into a skull. Scary stuff!

Skeleton Key is now hiring for some high-level positions including art director, senior producer, design director, cinematics director, and principal engineer. If you're curious about what they'll be getting up to but don't feel like pursuing a leadership career in the games industry yourself, you can also follow along with Skeleton Key on Twitter.

Andy Chalk
US News Lead

Andy has been gaming on PCs from the very beginning, starting as a youngster with text adventures and primitive action games on a cassette-based TRS80. From there he graduated to the glory days of Sierra Online adventures and Microprose sims, ran a local BBS, learned how to build PCs, and developed a longstanding love of RPGs, immersive sims, and shooters. He began writing videogame news in 2007 for The Escapist and somehow managed to avoid getting fired until 2014, when he joined the storied ranks of PC Gamer. He covers all aspects of the industry, from new game announcements and patch notes to legal disputes, Twitch beefs, esports, and Henry Cavill. Lots of Henry Cavill.

Read more
Lucanis enjoying a cup of coffee
'On a pirate ship, they'd toss the captain overboard': Larian head of publishing tears into EA after BioWare layoffs waste 'institutional knowledge'
Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Lace Harding looks inquisitive in a dark inn
Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director departs BioWare after 18 years at EA after an offer to build a new RPG she 'couldn't turn down'
Mass Effect 4 teaser image
Former BioWare vet says the studio is focused on a single game 'for the first time maybe ever' with Mass Effect 5—and whether that's good or bad is anyone's guess
The new action-RPG The Blood of Dawnwalker's protagonist, Coen, holding a sword and staring directly at the reader.
The Witcher 3's director explains why he had to leave CDPR to make his dream vampire RPG: 'We had crazy ideas'
mass effect romance - liara
Don't worry, Mass Effect 5 is totally fine, EA reassures as BioWare downsizes, moving 'many' employees to other studios
The Blood of Dawnwalker's antagonist vampire, Brencis, looking at the game's protagonist, Coen.
The Blood of Dawnwalker's creative director explains how the RPG's narrative sandbox works: 'the core of it is maximising players' freedom'
Latest in Dragon Age
Dragon Age Dreadwolf antogonist, Solas the elf, with a huge wolf walking next to him through smoke
Dragon Age voice actor says his favourite way to play Inquisition is as a woman who romances himself, which is apparently 'the best'
BioWare has reportedly lost at least half its staff, with fewer than 100 people left and the studio a ghost of its former self
Dragon Age character Varric looking confidently forward
'Dragon Age isn't dead because it's yours now,' former BioWare writer reassures fans: 'EA/BioWare owns the IP but you can't own an idea'
Morrigan, the Witch of the Wilds in the Dragon Age serries, shown wielding magic in front of a Darkspawn.
Is this the end of Dragon Age? Veilguard was good, but BioWare needed an all-timer, and I'm nervous about what's next
Dragon Age: The Veilguard - Lace Harding looks inquisitive in a dark inn
Dragon Age: The Veilguard game director departs BioWare after 18 years at EA after an offer to build a new RPG she 'couldn't turn down'
Cullen from Dragon Age: Inquisition stares at the player amidst a snow-cloaked backdrop.
Dragon Age voice actor arrested on multiple charges over allegations, including revenge porn and harassment
Latest in News
Lara Croft Unified Art
Tomb Raider developer Crystal Dynamics lays off 17 employees 'to better align our current business needs and the studio's future success'
A long bendy arm stealing money from people in a subway car
'You're a very long arm. You steal things. It's a comedy game,' explains developer of comedy game where you steal things with a very long arm
The heroes are attacked by monsters
Pillars of Eternity is getting turn-based combat to mark its 10th anniversary, and that means PC Gamer editors will soon be arguing about combat mechanics again
Image of Ronaldo from Fatal Fury: City of the Wolves trailer
It doesn't really make sense that soccer star Ronaldo is now a Fatal Fury character, but if you follow the money you can see how it happened
Junah beginning a battle in Metaphor: ReFantazio.
Today's RPG fans are 'very sensitive to feeling like they wasted time' when they die, says Metaphor: ReFantazio battle planner—but Atlus still made combat hard anyway
Image of Cersei Lanniser from Game of Thrones: Kingsroad Steam early access trailer
A new Game of Thrones RPG is coming to Steam today with a cast of 'familiar faces,' which is good because it's really the only way to tell it's a GoT game at all