In a shocking move, Electronic Arts and its somewhat new ownership have decided to cancel Mass Effect 5, which was in development at BioWare. In doing so, they’ve also decided to close the studio, which was once one of the biggest and most beloved developers in the game, and has always been a source of Canadian pride.
The aforementioned moves mean that many people will be out of work, due to layoffs and job losses. It’s been stated that it could affect as many as 400 jobs, and at least 50 at BioWare, although we are not certain about exact numbers. This is really sad for the Canadian video game community, the industry and the country, not to mention the employees. Of course, it’s also a big disappointment for fans of the Mass Effect franchise. Development had been going well, and we had heard that the game was shaping up to be a good one, from a friend who works there.
We, here at Eggplante, are saddened by this news. We’d like to wish those affected all the best. It’s a sad day for the industry, and Canadian gaming.