Mass Effect fans rally behind petition after BioWare closure
The #SaveMassEffect campaign has passed its original goal after EA closed BioWare and cancelled its next Mass Effect project.
A petition calling on Electronic Arts to keep the Mass Effect series alive has passed 50,000 signatures days after EA shut down BioWare and cancelled the studio's upcoming Mass Effect game.
IGN reported that the #SaveMassEffect petition had reached 52,783 signatures when it published its report on October 23, exceeding the original target of 30,000. The petition was started on the same day as the closure and asks EA either to place the franchise with another studio and fund a new game, or license the intellectual property to a different developer.
The petition is led by Joe Smith, who argues that Mass Effect remains important to millions of players because of its science-fiction setting, character-driven stories and emphasis on player choice. The appeal is directed at EA rather than a request to restore BioWare itself.
The campaign arrives after EA's decision to close BioWare and cancel its next Mass Effect project. A leaked trailer had already shown material associated with what was known as Mass Effect Universe, intensifying concern about the franchise's future. A former BioWare executive has suggested that EA could be more likely to sell or license intellectual property after the closure, but industry analyst Joost Van Dreunen told IGN that the series may be difficult for another publisher to take on because of its cost and scale.
A petition cannot force EA to revive a cancelled project, and the company has not announced that it will do so. The campaign does, however, show that the closure has created a sizeable and immediate reaction among the series' audience.
Our opinion
The signature count is meaningful as a measure of fan feeling, not as evidence that a new Mass Effect project is on the way. EA still controls the franchise's commercial direction, and handing it to another studio would require a major financial and creative commitment. The most realistic outcome may be a long period of uncertainty rather than an instant revival.
That does not make the petition irrelevant. It gives EA a visible signal that players would rather see the series entrusted to a new team than left dormant. Whether that becomes a business decision will depend on more than online enthusiasm: a publisher would need confidence that the audience, budget and development plan could support a new entry.
For now, #SaveMassEffect is a fan campaign following BioWare's closure, not an official rescue plan. Readers can follow the petition's progress, but should not mistake its milestone for confirmation of a new game.