Mass Effect’s future looked bleak after Electronic Arts announced the closure of BioWare on 21 October 2026. The studio had operated for 30 years, and its shutdown left the next Mass Effect project in EA’s hands. Fans have responded with the #SaveMassEffect petition, hoping public pressure can keep the game alive.
The campaign is a long shot, but entertainment history offers one useful comparison: The Expanse was revived after a determined fan campaign, eventually moving from SyFy to Amazon.
Why Mass Effect fans are worried
The series enjoyed a strong run in the early 2010s. Its original trilogy became known for its detailed science-fiction setting, memorable characters and emphasis on player choice. Mass Effect: Andromeda, released in 2017, received a more divided response. Players generally praised its action, while its story and characters failed to connect as strongly with fans of the earlier games. EA subsequently placed the series on hold.
BioWare confirmed in 2020 that another Mass Effect game was being developed, with occasional updates following over the next several years. Early promotional material suggested a link between Andromeda and the original trilogy.
After BioWare’s closure, footage from the next project reportedly leaked online. Referred to as Mass Effect: Universe, the game was described as taking place 600 years after the main trilogy. People familiar with its production compared its tone to “James Bond meets John Wick in space”. Seeing the project’s footage circulated made the prospect of cancellation particularly frustrating for supporters.
The Expanse shows what fan pressure can achieve
The situation recalls The Expanse, the television adaptation of James S.A. Corey’s novels. Its story is set in a future where humanity has spread across the solar system, with political conflict between interplanetary powers at its centre. That grounded approach helped distinguish the series from more fantastical space adventures.
SyFy cancelled The Expanse after three seasons in 2018. Fans quickly organised the #SaveTheExpanse campaign, while astronauts and public figures, including George R.R. Martin, called for the show’s return. Amazon later picked it up, with founder Jeff Bezos reportedly a fan who personally announced the revival.
The series ran for three further seasons on Prime Video. Its universe also continued in games: Telltale Games released a prequel in 2023, while Owlcat Games is working on The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, a third-person action RPG due out next year. The history of that campaign is documented through the show’s revival story.
#SaveMassEffect gathers momentum
Over the weekend, the Mass Effect campaign attracted support from Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, the voice actors for the female and male versions of Commander Shepard. Owlcat Games also backed the movement, pointing to The Expanse as an example of fans helping to change a project’s fate.
Billboards appeared in Times Square, and more than 200,000 people had signed the Mass Effect petition at the time of writing. For comparison, the final #SaveTheExpanse petition reached 138,420 signatures.
The difference is important: The Expanse was a television production, while Mass Effect is an unfinished video game. A large audience can demonstrate demand, but it cannot by itself provide a development team, funding or access to the intellectual property.
Could finishing the game be affordable?
A rough calculation provides some context, although it leaves out many major costs. BioWare was based in Edmonton, Alberta, where Glassdoor lists an average game developer salary of about $70,000 Canadian, or $49,857 US.
EA was reported to have employed roughly 50 people at BioWare when the studio closed. Additional, unconfirmed reports suggested that Mass Effect: Universe was targeting a 2028 release, implying about two more years of development.
Using those figures alone produces an estimated $5 million in staffing overhead. That is roughly comparable to the reported cost of producing one episode of The Expanse during its SyFy era, although it is not a complete game budget. Development would also require leadership, technology, testing, support, marketing and other expenses.
There is another substantial obstacle: the rights. Amazon already held US streaming rights to The Expanse when it rescued the series. The rights to Mass Effect: Universe remain with EA, and a campaign cannot force the publisher to licence or sell them.
Amazon may still be part of the equation
Mass Effect is not completely closed to licensing. A Mass Effect television project is still expected to proceed despite BioWare’s closure, and Amazon is the company producing it.
That connection does not guarantee that Amazon will acquire or continue the game. It does, however, mean the company already has a relationship with the Mass Effect brand and an interest in its wider audience.
For Australian players following the campaign, the most realistic conclusion is cautious optimism. The petition has achieved considerable visibility, and The Expanse demonstrates that fan mobilisation can matter. Yet ownership, staffing, budget and the condition of the leaked project all remain unresolved.
As the wider games industry continues to face studio closures, fans are also paying closer attention to preservation, ownership and unfinished projects. RETROCADE’s arcade news and gaming coverage explores similar industry shifts, while an arcade machine buying guide can help readers turn their love of games into a practical home setup. Readers can also browse arcade industry videos for more gaming and amusement news, or explore arcade machines for a dedicated home gaming space.
For now, #SaveMassEffect has a historical example in its favour, but no guarantee of a happy ending. The campaign can show EA that interest remains strong; only the rights holder can decide whether that interest is enough to bring the next Mass Effect back.
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