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Save Mass Effect movement backed by The Expanse RPG devs inspired by BioWare
Owlcat Games, developer of the Mass Effect-inspired RPG The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, has backed a fan campaign to save Mass Effect after BioWare’s closure and the cancellation of its next game were announced. The move matters because the franchise’s future is uncertain, and fans are trying to persuade its rights holder to keep it alive.
The petition has gathered more than 210,000 signatures. Owlcat pointed to The Expanse television series, which was picked up by Amazon for its final three seasons after fans protested its cancellation by Syfy. Former Mass Effect 5 technical director Romain Toutain was sceptical that a campaign could revive the series, saying EA tends to close projects and retain its licences.
In short
- Owlcat Games supports the Save Mass Effect petition.
- The campaign has passed 210,000 signatures.
- A former Mass Effect director doubts EA will revive the series.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
The petition shows that Mass Effect still has a large, committed audience, and a rights holder could reasonably see that support as evidence of lasting demand. Owlcat’s example of The Expanse suggests organised fans can sometimes help keep a cancelled story alive, while a revival could preserve a valued series and create new work.
The case against
A large petition does not necessarily translate into enough sales or a workable business case to justify a new game. As former technical director Romain Toutain cautions, a publisher may choose to retain the licence without restarting a cancelled project, and fan campaigns cannot by themselves resolve the practical and commercial reasons behind a closure.
Explained simply
Mass Effect is a science-fiction role-playing game series made by BioWare, in which players guide a human commander through a story about alien civilisations and the fate of the galaxy. The games have a large fan following, and BioWare has been closely associated with the series.
BioWare’s closure and the cancellation of its next game have left the franchise’s future uncertain. Electronic Arts, known as EA, owns the rights, so any decision to make another game rests with the company.
Fans have started a petition asking for the series to be kept alive, and Owlcat Games has voiced support. Owlcat cited The Expanse, whose television series continued after fans protested its cancellation; a former Mass Effect technical director has questioned whether a fan campaign can change EA’s plans.