Composer shares 20 minutes of music created for Mass Effect 5 following tragic closure of BioWare
Developing story first seen 1 hour ago
Composer Austin Wintory has released 20 minutes of music he pitched to BioWare and EA in 2025, hoping to work on the next Mass Effect game. The release has renewed attention on the studio’s closure and the cancellation of the project, which Wintory described as a deeply felt loss.
The eight tracks were created without access to the game’s story and pay homage to the sound of the original Mass Effect, combining analogue synthesisers with orchestral music. “The Legacy of Shepard” echoes the original theme, while “Sailing the Relays” foregrounds the synth-and-orchestra blend; the final track remixes the first. The article says BioWare closed with 50 staff laid off, alongside 350 job losses across other EA studios, and notes a Canadian party leader’s proposal to help employees buy back the studio.
- Sources
- 2
- Outlets
- 2
- Left · Centre · Right
- 0 · 0 · 0
In short
- Austin Wintory shared 20 minutes of music pitched for the next Mass Effect.
- The eight tracks pay homage to the original game’s sound.
- BioWare’s closure and project cancellation prompted widespread sadness.
How this story developed
- 8 minutes ago Composer Austin Wintory has released 20 minutes of music he pitched to BioWare and EA in 2025, hoping to work on the next Mass Effect game.
Explained simply
Mass Effect is a science-fiction role-playing game series made by BioWare, a studio owned by video-game publisher Electronic Arts (EA). Its earlier games follow Commander Shepard and a crew travelling between star systems, with orchestral music and electronic sounds helping establish the series’ atmosphere.
Austin Wintory is a composer who has worked on music for games and films. In 2025, he prepared music for consideration by BioWare and EA, without seeing the next game’s story; the Mass Effect series itself has had changes in its plans and development over the years.
BioWare’s closure and job losses matter to people who worked there and to players interested in the studio’s games. The reported proposal for employees to buy back the studio reflects one possible response to that closure, though it would depend on whether a sale could be arranged.