Is the long-anticipatedMass Effect: Andromedasuffering a troubled development cycle? One has to wonder, as so little of the game has been shown since its announcement years ago, and BioWare seems to be bleeding top level talent. The latest developer to depart from the studio just happens to be the lead writer forMass Effect: Andromeda, which could mean bad news for the game.
Mass Effect: Andromeda’s lead writer was Chris Schlerf, who joined BioWare in 2014 after serving as lead writer forHalo 4at 343 Industries. It’s unclear exactly when Schlerf left BioWare, but he has indicated on Twitter that it was “months ago.” It’s also unclear at this point who, if anyone, has replaced Schlerf as lead writer for the newMass Effect.
Schlerf’s departure comes hot off the heels of a couple of other high profile BioWare exits. First it wasMass Effect: Andromeda’s development director Chris Wynn, and then just a few weeks ago,Dragon Age’s lead writer left BioWareas well. This paints a picture of BioWare in trouble - the development ofMass Effect: Andromedaespecially. However, it may not be all doom and gloom.
In fact, Schlerf leaving the project could just be an indication that his services weren’t needed anymore. It’s possible thatMass Effect: Andromedais late in development, with no further major writing necessary, and that BioWare is putting the finishing touches on the game in anticipation for its launch within the next year. This would fit in with EA’sMass Effect: Andromedarelease timeline, which pegs the game to launch before April of 2017.
So, what’s next for Schlerf? As it turns out, he will be continuing his video game writing career, as he has now joined the staff at Bungie. Schlerf will presumably be working to help Bungie craft stories set in theDestinyuniverse, and possibly has even had a hand in working on the recently confirmedDestinysequel. With one of the major complaints lobbed atDestinysince the game launched being its lacking narrative, it makes sense for Bungie to seek out a proven sci-fi gaming writer to help flesh out the franchise’s lore, and Schlerf should prove to be a good fit.
It will be interesting to see how Chris Schlerf’s work onMass Effect: Andromedaturned out when the game releases in the next year or so. In the meantime, it will also be intriguing to see how Schlerf is able to influenceDestiny’s universe, and hopefully he will be able to help the series shake off its critics that complain about its shallow plot.
Mass Effect: Andromedais expected to release before April 1st, 2017 for PC, PlayStation 4, and Xbox One.
