Humanoid Origin is closing down

Edmonton-based Humanoid Origin’s closure removes a significant independent AAA studio from Alberta’s game development sector. Founded in 2021 by former BioWare general manager and Mass Effect director Casey Hudson, the studio was developing an original multiplatform science-fiction game with a focus on character-driven narrative. Humanoid Origin attributed the closure to an unexpected funding shortfall, ending development before its first game could be released and affecting its Edmonton-based team as well as employees elsewhere in Canada. The loss is particularly notable for Alberta because the studio represented an effort to build a new large-scale developer around experienced talent from Edmonton’s established AAA game industry. Its closure demonstrates how broader difficulties in securing game-development investment can directly affect Alberta studios, employment and the development of locally created intellectual property.