Internal Trailer for Cancelled Mass Effect Game Surfaces Online
- An internal trailer for the cancelled Mass Effect title has been confirmed as legitimate.
- The trailer showcases a new protagonist and features returning character Liara.
- EA’s layoffs have impacted the developers who were working on the game, as well as the broader workforce.
An internal trailer for the cancelled Mass Effect game, which was in development at BioWare prior to its closure this week, has appeared online. Initial skepticism regarding its authenticity arose due to the prevalence of AI-generated content; however, the trailer has been verified as real. It was initially created for EA leadership for internal use, starting with the message: “The following is in-engine footage from our small team. It uses our pre-production assets.”
The trailer provides a first and likely only glimpse at “Mass Effect Universe,” introducing a new protagonist who navigates the galaxy aboard a ship with a fresh crew, including a Krogan. Notable scenes include combat using guns and biotics, a romantic moment, a standoff with weapons drawn, and a mysterious creature in a test tube. Liara, a character from the original trilogy, makes a brief appearance towards the conclusion of the trailer, right before a bar fight erupts.
Following the trailer’s release, IGN quickly confirmed its validity. Additionally, Bloomberg’s Jason Schrier corroborated its authenticity on his personal BlueSky account.
Details about the game remain limited. A former BioWare employee suggested that “Mass Effect Universe” would take inspiration from titles like Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Witcher to provide a “level of autonomy and choice that no other game has,” while also attempting to “remain true” to the original trilogy.
Reactions to the trailer have been bittersweet, particularly as about 50 developers working on the project have lost their jobs due to EA’s layoffs, which affected 400 employees company-wide. Reddit user Harrywilko expressed:
“A spy thriller is such a cool concept for a re-entry to the series. Man, I’m just so sad and angry.” Similarly, user TerraxFormer remarked: “God this makes me even more distraught lol. I know a trailer is not an indication of how good it would have been but I was looking forward to this damn game so much.”
The layoffs occurred only a few months after Saudi Arabia’s $55 billion leveraged buyout of EA and impacted developers at various EA-owned studios, including Respawn and Maxis. While these cuts were anticipated due to new debt obligations for EA, the news of BioWare’s closure prompted widespread messages of sympathy and anger across the industry.
Although the release of this unfinished trailer coincides with a farewell to BioWare, it serves as a reminder that the team was close to realizing what could have been a significant project.
News Courtesy of Eurogamer
