The American publisher of Electronic Arts made a restructuring in the Canadian studio of BioWare against the backdrop of Dragon Age release: The VeilGuard and the transition to the development of the new Mass Effect.
Image source: Electronic Arts
General Manager Gary McKay said that the studio is changing the development approach, so the next Mass Effect does not need to support all the company’s staff.
In connection with this, “many” employees of BioWare transferred to other EA studios: the creative director of VeilGuard John Epler went to Full Circle (Skate), and the Dragon Age Scriptwriter Cheryl Chryl Chi (Iron Man ”got into Motive (“ Iron Man ” ).
As part of Dragon Age, Chi was responsible for characters like Leliana, Isabella and Harding
According to IGN, the positions of the “small” number of BioWare workers were abolished. Without work, the host of the screenwriter Patrick Weeks, the leading editor Karin West-Weekes (Karin West-Weekes) and other specialists remained.
«We do not share the numbers, but the studio has the right number of people on the right roles for working on Mass Effect as part of this stage of production, ”the representative of Electronic Arts assured journalists.
The new Mass Effect was confirmed in December 2020, and the game still has neither a name nor a full trailer
McCay emphasized that the new Mass Effect is created by the main BioWare team under the leadership of the executive producer Michael Gamble and other veterans of the original trilogy:
- Game director Preston Watamaniuk is the leading designer of the Mass Effect trilogy, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic and Neverwinter Nights;
- The artistic director of Derek Watts (Derek Watts) – performed similar duties at the first three Mass Effect;
- The creative leader Parrish Ley is a director of cinematographic videos in the games of the original Mass Effect trilogy.
Earlier it was reported that the new Mass Effect will offer a photorealistic graphics and an adult tone familiar according to the original trilogy, as well as, according to rumors, will return to a classic linear format. The release is expected in the area of 2026−2027.