BioWare‘s Michael Gamble, who oversaw the development of Mass Effect 5 before its cancellation, has responded to the layoffs at the studio with a light-hearted spin.
On October 21, EA announced that BioWare, the longtime studio behind Mass Effect and Dragon Age, would be shutting down. According to reports from Bloomberg, the closure coincided with cuts impacting around 3% of EA’s workforce.
Shutting down BioWare also meant the cancellation of the upcoming Mass Effect game – Mass Effect 5, which had been in the works since 2020. A trailer for the game has since leaked online from a member of the development team.
Michael Gamble, who had been the project director on the now-cancelled title, poked fun at being laid off by EA.
Ex-Mass Effect boss says layoff means he doesn’t need sick day for GTA 6
“I could probably scroll for hours and continue reading the words of support for the studio, the legacy, and the impact that BioWare has had on you. It means so much to us,” Gamble posted on X (formerly Twitter).
“There is so much talent on this team of OGs, so if you are aware of any roles, please send them. I will personally vouch for everyone in my crew.
“As for me: At least I don’t have to call in sick when GTA 6 comes out.”
Gamble’s planned sick day would have coincided with analyst predictions that more than 1.5 million people in the US will also take the day off.
As per economist José García Montalvo, that could potentially cost the US around $1 billion in lost productivity.
Take-Two CEO Strauss Zelnick predicted a massive wave of absences all the way back in April too, touching on the hype surrounding the game that fans have waited over a decade for.
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