NGRFans Launch Mass Effect Petition Following BioWare Closure
A fan-led petition urging EA to preserve the Mass Effect series has surpassed 50,000 signatures following the shutdown of BioWare.
A community initiative titled #SaveMassEffect has quickly gathered more than 52,000 signatures shortly after Electronic Arts closed development studio BioWare. The closure resulted in the cancellation of the studio's in-development project, following the online leak of a trailer for a title referred to as Mass Effect Universe.
Organized by fan Joe Smith, the campaign does not ask EA to reopen BioWare. Instead, it appeals to the publisher to assign the franchise to another development team with proper funding, or alternatively license the property to an external company so future installments can be produced.
The likelihood of a revival remains uncertain. Industry analysts note that acquiring or licensing established BioWare intellectual property would be cost-prohibitive for most publishers, despite separate political discussions in Canada regarding a potential employee buyout. For now, the future of the sci-fi franchise remains on hold.