Video game fans – if you’re eagerly awaiting word on the next instalment of BioWare’s Mass Effect or Square Enix’s Hitman and Deus Ex franchises, you may be disappointed to hear that the IPs have been put on hold for the foreseeable future.
According to Kotaku, BioWare has decided to let the Mass Effect franchise take a break following the mixed reception to Mass Effect: Andromeda, the latest instalment of the franchise, which was released back in March. Andromeda’s developer BioWare Montreal has been turned into a support studio, assisting on projects such as Star Wars Battlefront II and the new IP, code-named Dylan, as well as continuing to patch and support Mass Effect: Andromeda’s multiplayer.
Meanwhile, The Verge is reporting that Square Enix has withdrawn its investment in IO Interactive, developer of the Hitman franchise, and although it is seeking new investors to pick up the studio, it may be some time before we see another instalment in the series, if at all. The news follows Square Enix’s decision to pause development on Deux Ex, following undewhelming sales for the latest title Deus Ex: Mankind Divided.
Originally published May 15, 2017. Updated April 16, 2018.
