Former Mass Effect director cancels his next sci-fi game as his studio closes before it is fully revealed
A studio led by former Mass Effect director Casey Hudson have shut down before being able to show the sci-fi narrative adventure they were working on. Humanoid Origin posted the announcement of the studio’s closure on LinkedIn yesterday, saying that a “shortfall of funding” was responsible for the decision. They had been making a “multi-platform AAA game, focusing on character-driven narrative in an all-new science-fiction universe”, according to the studio’s website.
“Earlier today, we informed our staff that Humanoid Origin will be shutting down,” said the post. “Despite efforts to shield the studio from broader challenges in the industry, an unexpected shortfall of funding left us unable to sustain operations.
“We’re heartbroken that we will not be able to bring our new science-fiction universe to completion. Our main concern at this time however is for our team, and we are committed to supporting them in their transition to new employment.”
All they had shown of the game thus far were a few pieces of concept art, which you can still see in the background if you scroll down the studio’s website. The game was being made in Unreal Engine 5, and they were hiring for roles as recently as six months ago.
For background, Casey Hudson set up his own studio in 2021, after leaving BioWare alongside fellow veteran Mark Darrah. Those with a good memory (not me) will recall that this was the second time Hudson had departed from BioWare – he previously had a stint away from the company in 2014-2017 before returning as general manager. What he and others will do now that Humanoid Origin are closing down, we don’t know yet.
This is not the first studio closure we’ve seen in recent months. Sony shut down Firewalk Studios, the makers of ill-fated shooter Concord, in October. And Tequila Works, the developers of Rime, filed for insolvency earlier this month. Alongside other layoffs, most recently at Thunderful Games and Reflector Entertainment, these closures mark the autumn of a year that has proven even more harsh on developers than 2023. A site that tracks job losses estimates that there have been 14,000 layoffs so far this year, compared with a total of 10,500 last year, as our sister site Eurogamer point out. It’s likely the real number for both years is higher, as some layoffs may go unreported, and freelance folks working on contract may also not be counted.
