《质量效应》的未来在弥补过往错误之前就已终结

Many players rightfully point toward Mass Effect‘s “end” coming around the same time when Electronic Arts (EA) acquired studio BioWare after the massively successful release of Mass Effect 2. Since then, there have been multiple criticisms of the series, from the endings of Mass Effect 3 to the avalanche of complaints surrounding Mass Effect: Andromeda. Although collections of the original trilogy and DLC for those games alleviated some mistakes, the recent closure of BioWare cancels any chances for a new Mass Effect to right the wrongs of the past.

Player good will toward BioWare has soured over the years, mainly due to the lackluster launches of games like Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard showing a disconnect between what titles were made and what fans wanted. Yet, this can be attributed largely to EA’s shifting trend chasing over the years, with the larger publisher desiring to chase live service and implement it into games BioWare produced. This led to complete resets of development cycles on games like Dragon Age: The Veilguard, causing them to become hollow experiences compared to the quality RPGs the development team had made before.

Mass Effect 5 Is Cancelled Following Electronic Arts Closing Down Studio Bioware With 400 Layoffs

The next Mass Effect project, called by speculative players Mass Effect 5, was cancelled this week due to BioWare shutting down following corporate restructures at EA. This comes only two months after EA finalized its $55 billion buyout to Saudi Arabia owned corporation PIF (Public Investment Fund of Saudia Arabia), as part of the latter group’s efforts to expand into entertainment spaces. BioWare’s poor releases mentioned earlier could have contributed to their closure as well, despite the production of a live action Mass Effect TV show still remaining in development following this news.

Internally, former BioWare developers have come out to state that the project within the studio was Mass Effect 4, also known as Mass Effect Universe based on some leaks. Development was well under way for the next entry in the Mass Effect series, which would return to familiar settings in the franchise rather than pivoted into a spin-off like Mass Effect: Andromeda. With over 400 jobs being cut due to BioWare closing, it’s unlikely the popular sci-fi RPG series will ever be seen again, a fact that is frustrating fans beyond belief.

Past Criticisms of Mass Effect: Andromeda & Dragon Age: The Veilguard Will Never Get a Chance to Be Addressed

The biggest lost of potential behind Mass Effect Universe is not just the ending of the series, but for how that game could have addressed many problems were having with BioWare’s latest titles. For starters, the game could have acted as a direct response to criticisms surrounding Mass Effect Andromeda, namely in its art design and performance. It’s no secret now that Andromeda went through development hell, going through multiple reworks that led to character animations, story content, and other features being inconsistent upon release. Overall, the game was extremely disappointing, even though its combat could be considered a step up from past Mass Effect titles.

Andromeda was clearly full of rushed content, and lacked many of the RPG nuances that made Mass Effect so interesting to begin with. The central conflict of the game was never really clear, the characters weren’t that interesting (a cardinal sin in Mass Effect games), and BioWare removed many features from the series’ history that fans loved. For example, the Renegade/Paragon morality system was ditched in Andromeda, making quest-related choices feel less impactful and repetitive. Even if the technical presentation and visuals of the game were an upgrade, the use of a new game engine led to glitches and bugs that heavily impacted Andromeda‘s performance.

Meanwhile, BioWare’s writing was the subject of heavier backlash in Dragon Age: The Veilguard, with sanitized or inconsistent story beats that made the game’s direction feel scattered. Once again, direct gameplay systems weren’t the problem, but the design choices behind central characters, the narrative, and other factors felt sanded down and smoothed out to be as generic as possible. This removed the unique feeling the Dragon Age and Mass Effect series had, instead leading to lackluster and sometimes boring experiences that lacked any real weight to them.

Other Sci-Fi RPGs May Not Live up to the Lasting Legacy the Mass Effect Series Established

Even though other games like Exodus show a lot of promise, it’s hard to say just how influential the Mass Effect series has been on RPGs as a whole. Players had pinned their hopes on the next Mass Effect to learn the right lessons from Andromeda, with a more focused apporach from BioWare helping them bring back the systems players loved from the original trilogy. From beyond just the core morality system, players were excited to run into familiar characters, worlds, or factions within a refined gameplay foundation built from the good parts of Andromeda. From leaks showing footage of Mass Effect Universe, it appears that BioWare was committing to addressing players’ biggest concerns.

However, all that potential now goes down the drain, with a hollow live action show now turning into the last mission for Mass Effect. It’s unclear if other RPGs like Star Wars: Fate of the Old Republic will live up to what BioWare has established in the sci-fi corner of that genre, but it will be hard to compare games to that series’ legacy. In truth, only a new Mass Effect game could have generated the most hype possible for a new sci-fi RPG, but through BioWare’s closure, that redemption is now lost to the stars.

What do you think about Mass Effect’s legacy being brought to an end before it could get better? Let us know in the comments below!