After the studio closed on October 21, a trailer for BioWare’s cancelled Mass Effect: Universe appeared online. Intended as an internal proof-of-concept for Electronic Arts executives, the footage offered an intriguing glimpse at what may have been the fifth Mass Effect game.
The trailer also raised several unanswered questions. Viewers wondered how the project might have followed Mass Effect 3, who repaired the mass relays and whether the apparent lead character was modelled on actor Simu Liu.
Like plenty of major gaming news, the leaked footage quickly became a talking point among fans, particularly because the protagonist appeared to share Liu’s distinctive facial features. The character’s voice was not Liu’s, but the resemblance to the Shang-Chi and the Legend of the Ten Rings star was difficult for viewers to miss.
Speculation grew after Liu expressed his admiration for BioWare and disappointment over the studio’s closure in a post on Threads, just hours before the trailer surfaced. He also reacted to the character’s appearance in a reply on X.
“… waaaaait a minute….”
Liu has now clarified that he was not involved with Mass Effect: Universe, either as a performer or as the basis for the protagonist’s default likeness.
“Haha no, I wasn’t involved but you’re not the only one to ask!” Liu said in a statement.
That leaves two likely explanations for the resemblance. It may have been an accidental similarity, or BioWare could have intended to approach Liu about a possible collaboration at a later stage. There is no indication that either arrangement had been confirmed before the project was cancelled.
The leak is especially frustrating because it revealed a project that was never meant for public release, while raising questions the footage could not answer. Fans have already contributed enough to the “Save Mass Effect” crowdfunding campaign to buy a billboard, so interest in the series remains strong.
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