A franchise that many people carried with them through long nights of choices and consequences now finds itself at a familiar human crossroads: a beloved thing has been taken out of the hands of those who made it. After a buyout of Electronic Arts backed by Saudi Arabia's PIF and private equity, BioWare was closed and its long-awaited Mass Effect: Universe was set aside, leaving fans to mourn a story they had been waiting six years to continue. In response, a petition has gathered 130,000 signatures, and two of the actors who gave Commander Shepard a voice have asked the community to keep the
Mass Effect Voice Actors Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer Back Fan Push to Save the Franchise After BioWare Closure
Hold the line. Go sign that petition.
Mark
Why does it matter that Hale and Meer joined in?
Mimi
They're the voices of Commander Shepard. When they ask fans to sign, it comes from inside the story people love, not from outside it.
Mark
What exactly did Hale propose?
Mimi
A scenario she likes to imagine: a fan Kickstarter, then some investors, then a game company, then a collective that brings Mass Effect back.
Luke
Worth noting that's a hope, not a plan. Nobody has said a Kickstarter exists or that any investor is involved.
Mark
And the petition's numbers?
Mimi
130,000 signatures in three days. That's the scale of the reaction.
Luke
That figure is as reported. It also doesn't tell us whether it would move EA, and the source itself says that's unlikely.
Mark
What about the Canadian government?
Mimi
The report says it's considering helping BioWare, which suggests the story reaches beyond fans.
Luke
But we're told only that it's considering. No specifics, no commitment, so I'd hold that loosely.
Mark
So what's the real thing to watch?
Mimi
Whether any fan-led funding effort or investor group actually forms, and whether Canada does anything concrete.
O Pulso
- BioWare was shut down months after the PIF-backed EA buyout, and the anticipated Mass Effect: Universe was canceled with it.
- Fans who waited nearly six years for the game were left heartbroken, and a petition surged past 130,000 signatures in three days.
- Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, the voices of Shepard, have publicly urged fans to organize and push back against the closure.
- Hale's imagined path of a fan-funded Kickstarter, investors, a game company, and a community collective is still only a wish, while the Canadian government is reportedly considering stepping in.
A franchise that many people carried with them through long nights of choices and consequences now finds itself at a familiar human crossroads: a beloved thing has been taken out of the hands of those who made it. After a buyout of Electronic Arts backed by Saudi Arabia's PIF and private equity, BioWare was closed and its long-awaited Mass Effect: Universe was set aside, leaving fans to mourn a story they had been waiting six years to continue. In response, a petition has gathered 130,000 signatures, and two of the actors who gave Commander Shepard a voice have asked the community to keep the series alive. Whether this turns into more than an expression of loyalty remains an open question.
Within three days, a fan petition to save Mass Effect had gathered 130,000 signatures, and this week it drew in two of the franchise's most recognizable voices. Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, who each voice a version of Commander Shepard, have both publicly asked fans to help keep the series alive.
The collapse came quickly. Electronic Arts was bought out by Saudi Arabia's PIF together with private equity, and only months later BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, was shut down. Its most anticipated project, Mass Effect: Universe, once known as Mass Effect 5 and announced nearly six years ago, was canceled along with it. Fans who had grown attached to the trilogy's characters and complex story were left heartbroken.
Hale posted on X, sketching a hopeful sequence: fans starting a Kickstarter, a few investors joining, a game company forming, and finally a collective to revive the series for both the community and its creators. Meer quoted her post, calling it a good idea and telling people to hold the line and sign the petition, echoing Shepard's own lines.
Polygon is sober about the odds, noting a petition is unlikely to change EA's course. Still, the community's organizing is worth something, and the piece closes with Garrus's words that it has been a damn good ride, and a hope that this is not the end.
Within three days, a fan petition to save Mass Effect had gathered 130,000 signatures, and this week it picked up two of the most recognizable voices in the franchise. Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, who each voice a version of Commander Shepard, have both publicly urged fans to help keep the series alive.
The petition follows a blunt sequence of events. Electronic Arts was bought out by Saudi Arabia's PIF together with private equity, a deal that had already left fans uneasy about the future of several franchises. Only a few months later, BioWare, the studio behind Mass Effect, was shut down. Its most anticipated project, a new Mass Effect game, was canceled along with it.
That game was known as Mass Effect: Universe, and was previously referred to as Mass Effect 5. It was announced nearly six years ago, so the wait had been long, and the source describes fans as heartbroken to learn it would not move forward. The original trilogy is three narrative-heavy science fiction role-playing games, known for characters players grew attached to and for a lore-rich, complex story.
The response has grown larger than anyone expected. According to the reporting, even the Canadian government is considering coming to BioWare's aid, though no details of what that might involve are given.
Hale, who voices the female Shepard, posted on X asking fans to help bring Mass Effect back to life. She framed it as something she likes to imagine: fans starting a Kickstarter, a few investors joining them, then a game company, and finally a collective formed to revive the series for the community and the creators alike.
Meer, who voices the male version of Shepard, quoted her post. He said he had just seen his friend Jennifer Hale post an idea he thought was a good one: save Mass Effect. He then told people to hold the line and go sign the petition, echoing some of Shepard's best-known lines from the games.
The outlook for the petition itself is sober. Polygon notes it is unlikely that a fan petition will change EA's course, whatever backlash the BioWare closure has caused. Still, the piece sees value in a community organizing around something it cares about, and closes with Garrus's line that it has been a damn good ride, with the hope that this is not the end.
Two things are worth watching. One is whether the Canadian government acts on its reported consideration. The other is whether Hale's imagined path, a fan-funded Kickstarter backed by investors and a game company, turns from a wish into an actual effort.
Citações Notáveis
Hale imagines fans launching a Kickstarter, joined by investors and a game company, forming a collective to bring Mass Effect back to life.— Jennifer Hale, on X
Save Mass Effect. Hold the line. You should go sign that petition.— Mark Meer, on X
Quer a matéria completa?
Leia o original em Polygon ↗
Business