In 2021, we learned about a new indie team of AAA veterans in the form of Humanoid Origin, a new studio formed and established by Casey Hudson- creator of the Mass Effect series, director of the original trilogy, and former general manager at BioWare. The studio was confirmed to be working on a narrative-driven AAA sci-fi game, though it has now been confirmed that it is closing its doors instead.
Announced on LinkedIn, Humanoid Origin revealed that due to an “unexpected shortfall” in funding, the studio is shutting down, and development on its sci-fi project is ceasing.
“Earlier today, we informed our staff that Humanoid Origin will be shutting down,” the studio wrote. “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 announcement certainly comes as a surprise, though this is sadly far from the only similar bruise that the games industry has suffered over the course of the last couple of years. Humanoid Origin was one of several promising indie AAA teams working on ambitious new projects, so the studio’s closure is definitely a gut punch, especially for fans of the Mass Effect series who were curious to see what its creator would come up with next.