This week has been full of heartbreaks for gaming fans, especially for those who grew up alongside many of the titles BioWare created. While many are still mourning the loss of one of the most influential RPG studios, something new has put salt in the freshly opened wound. For the unaware, a trailer for the now-canceled Mass Effect 5 leaked, and it left all fans stunned as it was everything they were hoping for in the new installment, and by the looks of it, we won’t get to experience it. According to the footage, the ill-fated sequel would’ve been called Mass Effect: Universe.
The trailer for Mass Effect 5 leaked recently, and after some sources like Jason Schreier confirmed it was true, it left fans absolutely gutted.
The footage came from an alleged former BioWare employee, and it shows what Mass Effect 5 could have been. According to the trailer, it was set to be a sort of spy thriller and would supposedly take place after the original trilogy and Andromeda.
Now, while the trailer looks rough, as it seems it had some early assets and gameplay features, many fans think it nailed the tone of what Mass Effect as a whole was. Even in its early stage, fans felt a huge loss after watching this because they were really digging the project that, at the time, was in development.
“Why wasn’t that made? It is consistently ME without being Shephard. It retains the franchise identity/recognisability and shifts away from the trilogy into something new, without trying to reinvent the wheel,” said one user on Reddit.
“Adding insult to injury,” another user commented.
Right now, it seems players are angry at EA, and as many say, with good reason. BioWare has had a bit of a rough patch ever since Andromeda, and many think Veilguard was the final nail in the coffin. Losing this studio is still a huge blow for the RPG landscape, but most importantly, for the many beloved IPs the developers worked on in the past.
So far, people have been looking for ways to keep the series alive, especially Mass Effect, as it didn’t have a “new” game, compared to Dragon Age, which had Veilguard.
Some users have even started a petition on Reddit to save the franchise, and at the time of writing, it has over 55,000 signatures.
The future of these franchises remains uncertain, and while some hope Mass Effect will get its time in the spotlight again, things look bleak right now.
