Mass Effect Trailer Leaks Online
Award-winning voice actor Jennifer Hale, best known for voicing the female version of Commander Shepard in the first three Mass Effect games, is speaking out after a leaked trailer for the sci-fi franchise’s next title was leaked online.
The Mass Effect community was hit hard this week by news that EA is closing down BioWare, the 30-year-old studio known for spearheading Western RPGs with series like Dragon Age, Mass Effect, Jade Empire, and others.
Rubbing salt in the wound, EA also revealed the next Mass Effect game was canceled. This revelation hurt even more after staff who formerly worked on the project spoke out about it online, with one even leaking a full-length trailer for the game on Reddit. This trailer promised a game that would have been everything fans wanted and more — and it even caught the attention of FemShep herself.
Voice Actors React to Studio Closure
Hale responded to a re-upload of the Mass Effect trailer on social media, and it seems she’s just as hopeful as the rest of us that somehow, some way, the game will still get made.
It is extraordinary, she wrote. I’m holding hope for magic to happen. This community and you incredible devs deserve that and more.
Two days prior, she went live on Instagram alongside fellow Commander Shepard voice actor Mark Meer, who plays the male version of the character, to address fans in the wake of EA’s devastating decision.
I feel weirdly hopeful, and I can’t explain why, Hale said. I feel for the BioWare employees who are suddenly unemployed. That is the number one thing on my mind. Those beautiful team members who are looking for a new home.
It is very sad news, Meer added. It is a massive loss for Edmonton, for Canada, and for the video game industry in general. It’s very unfortunate to see. And of course, I feel very bad for all of the fans.
Uncertain Future for IP
It’s really hard to think about BioWare being shut down, but it was in the hands of ownership that may not have understood what BioWare fully is, Hale continued, suggesting there is a possibility EA might sell off the intellectual property to increase profit margins.
Hale isn’t alone in this line of thinking; many fans are calling on EA to at least sell BioWare’s intellectual properties to other developers in the hopes that Mass Effect can eventually be released. Even Canadian politicians are getting in on the conversation, with New Democratic Party leader Avi Lewis taking to social media to publicly call out EA.
However, industry insiders and analysts are urging caution around this particular idea. Analysts state that BioWare’s library of titles simply don’t align with EA’s current strategy, and it’s unlikely the company relinquishes them to other companies due to high costs.
Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah shared a similar sentiment, admitting that while EA might consider selling the IPs off to cut costs, executives might also just try to bury them in the vault.
