It's somewhat surprising that fans still know next to nothing about Mass Effect: Andromeda. EA and BioWare announced the game years ago, and yet, only a few short teasers have hinted at what Andromeda is actually about. It's been over three years since the original games came to a close with Mass Effect 3 - at this point, fans just want to see the next game in the series in action.
What's even worse is that, when fans finally do get some Mass Effect-related news, it's not exactly good. Chris Wynn, who worked as the Mass Effect Senior Development Director, has left BioWare and the Mass Effect: Andromeda team.
Any employee turnover during development can lead to trouble, but having one of the senior staff members leave can have a lasting effect on a game. Considering how quiet both EA and BioWare have been, it's hard to judge exactly where Andromeda is in development or how the project is moving along...but, at the very least, it doesn't look like Wynn's departure was the result of any sort of in-studio drama.
It is with a heavy heart today to say that I am moving on from BioWare and Mass Effect: Andromeda, and returning to the USA.
— Chris Wynn (@The1Wynn) December 22, 2015
I will join the passionate N7 community and will eagerly await the release of Andromeda with equal enthusiasm. Thank you and Happy Holidays! — Chris Wynn (@The1Wynn) December 22, 2015
BioWare has not revealed any concrete reasons for Wynn's departure, but it hardly seems like the stuff of gaming industry drama. There have been more than a few instances of senior gaming developers being ousted from a team against their will (Kojima v. Konami comes to mind) - thankfully, this seems more like a parting of ways than a bitter dispute turned ugly. BioWare released a statement earlier today (via GameInformer), congratulating Wynn on his work and wishing him luck with any future endeavors:
"Chris was a great member of the team. We want to thank him for his contributions and we wish him the best in his new adventures. Development of Mass Effect Andromeda continues to move full speed ahead at BioWare Montreal, Edmonton and Austin."
With any luck, the game's development won't be affected by the shake-up: Mass Effect: Andromeda is supposedly set to launch in late 2016.
