In recent weeks, there’s been a lot of activity in the video game industry, unfortunately, mostly for the worse. Many mass layoffs, studio closures, and acquisitions have taken place. These are detrimental and will likely have long-term consequences that are hard to fully grasp at this moment. However, occasionally, positive events emerge that are worth highlighting—such as the birth of a new studio led by a seasoned veteran with a clear vision.
NetEase’s establishment of a new studio, Worlds Untold, based in Vancouver, Canada, led by Mac Walters, the former developer at Bioware, marks a significant event.
Walters started at Bioware in 2003, contributing as a writer on the cult classic, Jade Empire. He progressed to become a senior writer in the first Mass Effect and took the helm as lead writer in the subsequent sequels. In Mass Effect 2, he shared this role with Drew Karpashyn, then assumed it independently for Mass Effect 3. Walters also served as the creative director for Mass Effect: Andromeda and the project director for Mass Effect: Legendary Edition. His extensive experience makes him a dependable figure to spearhead a studio.
The ambition behind Worlds Untold is to create intellectual properties that possess “depth and possibilities that cannot be contained within a single game, or even a single medium.” This vision will manifest in their inaugural title, an action-adventure AAA game set in “an overwhelming world full of mysteries and exploration.”
Given that the studio has just been announced and the game doesn’t even have a name yet, it’s unlikely we’ll see more about it anytime soon. Nonetheless, there’s considerable anticipation for what their creative efforts will yield. However, the new Mass Effect is also eagerly anticipated, and at least, the game being developed by Worlds Untold has the man who helped shape Mass Effect at its helm.