Former Mass Effect director Casey Hudson has sadly announced that his new studio, Humanoid Origin, has shut down before it could produce its first video game project. Hudson says the studio’s closure was due to ” an unexpected shortfall of funding left us unable to sustain operations” while also addressing “broader challenges in the industry”, though he didn’t go into much detail on that point.
Casey Hudson, who served as the game director behind the original Mass Effect trilogy, established Humanoid Origin in June 2021 with the goal to create a “multi-platform AAA game, focusing on character-driven narrative in all-new science-fiction universe.” Sounds like something right up Hudson’s alley considering his portfolio. Unfortunately, the studio’s debut project won’t be seeing the light of day anymore.
Hudson posted an update on his LinkedIn confirming that Humanoid Origin had been shut down:
“Earlier today, we informed our staff that Humanoid Origin will be shutting down. 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.”
This speaks to a growing concern in the gaming industry about the challenges new studios face while developing new projects. Earlier this year, Nightingale studio Inflexion Games, which coincidentally enough also houses a few former BioWare talents, announced that it would be laying off staff after the game’s early access launch failed commercially, making it difficult for the studio to continue working on the game.
Hudson’s reference to “broader challenges in the industry” might be a result of a relatively small studio tackling an ambitious multi-platform AAA game.
Source: LinkedIn