EA Faces Fan Backlash
Mass Effect fans are calling for a boycott of all EA products and services in protest of the company closing down BioWare and canceling the next Mass Effect game.
It’s a rough time for Mass Effect fans. On October 21, EA announced its plans to shut down BioWare, a 30-year-old studio that spearheaded RPGs in the West with titles like Dragon Age, Jade Empire, Baldur’s Gate, and of course, Mass Effect.
Players were eagerly awaiting news of the next game in BioWare’s beloved sci-fi franchise — but EA shut that down, too, revealing in a statement that the project was officially canceled.
Community Mobilizes for a Boycott
In the two days since then, fans of BioWare and the Mass Effect series have gathered together to call for action, begging EA to at least sell off BioWare’s IP to other studios rather than letting them languish. In fact, tensions have become so strained that players are now calling for an outright boycott of EA’s products and services until something is done.
On Reddit, several threads are rallying Mass Effect fans to gather under the hashtag #savemasseffect, urging players to take action and make their voices heard.
Supporters are demanding that EA either finish the project internally or transfer the intellectual property to another developer before the momentum completely disappears.
Frustrated players have stated they will refrain from purchasing titles from any studios under the corporate umbrella until the situation is addressed or the franchise is revived.
Community members are actively spreading the message across multiple platforms to ensure private investors recognize the severity of the backlash.
Growing Petitions and Leaked Footage
These calls for a boycott coincide with a fanmade petition urging EA to either sell off the IPs to other developers or hand development of Mass Effect 5 to a different studio. At the time of writing, this petition has garnered over 76,500 signatures and counting as more fans and friends of the industry pile in.
Mass Effect 5 — which was reportedly expected to be called Mass Effect Universe — seems to have already been a good way into its development cycle, judging by a full-length trailer that was leaked online. This trailer added to the disappointment for players, many of whom believed this game would align closely with what fans wanted.
Industry Outlook
Industry veterans and voice actors from the franchise are speaking out in hopes of finding a path forward, though analysts and former studio leadership suggest that corporate leadership may be unlikely to reverse course.
