# Clair Obscur is a “good example” of why Mass Effect 5 doesn’t have to cost $200 million, former BioWare lead says

- URL: https://talkfuse.com/story/clair-obscur-is-a-good-example-of-why-mass-effect-5-doesnt-have-to-cost-200-million-former-bioware-lead-says/
- Published: 2026-11-09T17:48:01+00:00
- Updated: 2026-11-09T18:34:00+00:00
- Original publisher: GamesRadar+
- Original article: https://www.gamesradar.com/games/mass-effect/clair-obscur-expedition-33-is-a-good-example-of-why-mass-effect-5-doesnt-have-to-cost-usd200-million-former-bioware-lead-says/
- Topics: Entertainment, Gaming

## Key points

- Norman says a new Mass Effect could cost far less than $200 million.
- Clair Obscur reportedly had a budget under $10 million.
- EA’s control of the franchise complicates the prospect of a sequel.

## Summary

Former BioWare designer Christina Norman says Clair Obscur: Expedition 33 shows a new Mass Effect could be made for far less than $200 million. Her comments challenge the idea that Mass Effect 5 would need a huge budget to meet fans’ expectations, amid uncertainty about the franchise’s future after EA closed BioWare.

Norman pointed to reports that Clair Obscur cost less than $10 million to make, and argued that five times its budget should be enough for another Mass Effect. BioWare co-founder Trent Oster had estimated that reviving the project would cost more than $200 million, partly because of expectations for a premium AAA game. The article notes that EA retains control of Mass Effect, making an independently developed sequel seem unlikely.

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Summarised by TalkFuse (https://talkfuse.com/). Quote the original publisher for the reporting and link this page for the summary and discussion.