Last year, BioWare was hit with the fanbase’s backlash to Dragon Age: The Veilguard and became the latest of many victims of the mass layoffs plaguing the video game industry. As such, many fans have become worried about the company’s future and whether its employees will endure to create new projects. Fortunately, several BioWare veterans came forward to announce a new project: the Zelda-inspired co-op RPG Cloudheim. Here is a breakdown of how these BioWare veterans’ Cloudheim could become the next big thing.
BioWare Alum’s Latest Project
According to GameSpot, former developers from EA’s BioWare have joined several other creators to work on a new project: Cloudheim. The game will be the maiden voyage of their new studio, Noodle Cat Games. The studio was founded several years ago with veterans from EA, Disney, and Epic Games’ Fortnite. Given that most of those studios experienced layoffs over the past few years, seeing so many of them find a new project to work on is reassuring. The game will likely be released for PC and consoles in the third quarter of this year.
Additionally, they released an epic trailer to promote Cloudheim. It showcased the vast fantasy world populated by majestic creatures, the kinetic combat system, and parts of its central crafting system. Despite the darkness of BioWare’s main games, Cloudheim boasts a colorful, cartoonish art style and lighthearted music. Since their original games were grounded, Dungeons and Dragons-inspired RPGs, fans must see how their experiences are used.
Cloudheim’s Influences
The game’s cel-shaded art style and direction quickly show it takes several cues from Nintendo’s recent hit, Legend of Zelda: Breath of the Wild. Nintendo’s The Legend of Zelda is one of the most iconic and influential gaming franchises. Over its dozens of classic games, it codified many tropes in the action-adventure genre. Many other iconic games, like Dark Souls and Genshin Impact, took many cues from the series. As the game will be co-op, this will help set Cloudheim apart.
Furthermore, Noodle Cat described the game as “Norse-inspired,” evidenced by the names and motifs. As shown by games like God of War, Shin Megami Tensei, and Assassin’s Creed, real-world mythology offers many potential stories to retell. Additionally, the trailer elaborated that players could recruit the mythical beasts of this world, possibly in a similar way to the Pokémon franchise.
A Shifting Era
While this new trailer is probably exciting for many longtime fans, it is also a sign of hope for the future. Last week, BioWare announced that it had fewer than a hundred employees. In an age when so many beloved developers have laid off large sections of their workforce or gone under entirely, the company’s future remains uncertain. Many other giants, such as Ubisoft, are heading down the same path due to their poor business choices.
After so many layoffs, industry veterans have stepped forward to join smaller studios with more respect for their visions. Many examples of these spiritual successors exist, such as The Wayward Realms from an early Elder Scrolls creator or Bloodstained: Ritual of the Night from a creator of Castlevania. With the threat of another “video game crash” looming, gamers will have to support these creators to keep the medium going.
Conclusion
While the information on Cloudheim is currently limited, what they revealed was interesting. These BioWare veterans helped create a game that combined the formula of Breath of the Wild with Norse Myth and several other unique elements that could show how to make a proper spiritual successor. This game will also symbolize perseverance for developers in the face of corporate failures and mass layoffs. By creating smaller projects, they can bring their visions to life without executive meddling. Hopefully, this will start a long journey for Noodle Cat Games.
