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Casey Hudson, a former BioWare developer who served as the project director of the original Mass Effect trilogy, has shared his thoughts on the recent closure of the studio. The news has hit BioWare fans everywhere hard, and Hudson is no different in that regard.
EA announced that it would be shutting BioWare down completely earlier on October 21. The publisher stated that it didn’t take the decision lightly, but that likely hasn’t softened the blow for those involved. The move came alongside a number of other adjustments at EA, including a new round of layoffs.
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Casey Hudson Weighs in on BioWare Closure
Shortly after EA made its announcement and BioWare shared its own statement, Casey Hudson weighed in on his Twitter account. He lamented the closure and expressed sympathy for those who had still been working at BioWare, and also gave a nod to Mass Effect fans. Nearly six years after its original reveal of the next Mass Effect at The Game Awards in 2020, the next Mass Effect game has been completely canceled. He went on to share some personal anecdotes and memories from his time working at BioWare, and gave thanks to its founders for inviting him to work there in the first place. He closed out his comment by saying that the legacy of the studio will live on thanks to those who worked there, and due to the unforgettable stories BioWare created.
For the unfamiliar, Casey Hudson started working at BioWare around the turn of the century, with his first role being a technical artist. He went on to work on programming with Baldur’s Gate 2: Shadows of Amn, created art for Neverwinter Nights, and ultimately became the director of Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic before also becoming the director of the Mass Effect trilogy. Initially, Hudson exited BioWare in 2014, and ended up working at Microsoft for a time, before returning to BioWare in 2017. He became the general manager of the studio up until he exited again in 2020.
While the studio closure and the loss of the next Mass Effect game is hitting players hard, BioWare has notably struggled in recent years. Mass Effect Andromeda received mixed reviews on launch following a number of development team changes, with players criticizing the game’s bugs, odd facial animations, and taking issue with elements of the story. Dragon Age: Inquisition served as a strong follow-up in its own franchise, with the game moving over 12 million copies. However, the sequel Dragon Age: Veilguard experienced development problems similar to those of Mass Effect Andromeda, and failed to perform well.
Unfortunately, BioWare is now gone, but some of the developers who helped to bring its most successful games to life are still working in the industry. Hudson is currently spearheading Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic, a spiritual successor to the Knights of the Old Republic series, which fans are excited about. Nonetheless, BioWare’s closure marks the end of an era, and an abrupt ending to the beloved Mass Effect franchise.
