14 DAY TRIAL // Video game developer BioWare and publisher Electronic Arts are announcing that they are canceling development work on Shadow Realms effective immediately and that they are shifting their resources to a number of other projects, including the new Mass Effect title and other unmentioned intellectual property.
The announcement comes from an official blog post on the title's website, and Jeff Hickman, the general manager at the Austin division of the company, says that he is sorry for the disappointment that some fans will feel when they hear the news.
He explains that the game concept has generated excitement and solid feedback from potential players, but it seems the company simply does not have the time to create Shadow Realms at the moment.
The BioWare leader adds, "We’ve got an incredibly talented team here at the Austin studio, and they are excited and already deep on new projects within the BioWare family, ones that will make some great BioWare games even better. These include additional ongoing enhancements to the award-winning Dragon Age: Inquisition, as well as the next game in the Mass Effect series and other new IP."
The Austin studio is also continuing its work on the Star Wars: The Old Republic, which is set to get at least one major expansion in the coming years.
The developer also says that for all those who registered for the closed alpha stage of Shadow Realms a thank you will be offered, although it is not clear what it will be.
Shadow Realms might have a future in a few years
The new title from BioWare was an ambitious project that aimed to create a four-versus-one asymmetric experience in which a group of gamers had to work together to take out the minions of one powerful enemy.
The universe was entirely original and was set to combine both tech and fantasy-based powers.
Shadow Realms was also set to use a free-to-play business model, designed to allow players to enjoy the core title, with payments only involved for those who wanted an expanded experience.
The cancellation announcement does not talk about quality issues, but some sources have claimed that the title did not offer compelling gameplay and that BioWare is more interested in investing in the titles that are currently attracting players rather than experimenting on something that could be a failure on launch.
