Mass Effect: Universe Leaks After BioWare Shutdown: How the Cancelled Fifth Game Differs From Shepard's Trilogy

A game that leaked as the studio closed

Mass Effect: Universe, the ill-fated fifth game in BioWare's sci-fi series, has been leaking since publisher EA shuttered the studio on Wednesday. ^[1] If you have followed the series, this is the game you will now never get to play. ^[2]

BioWare announced it was being shut down, meaning the anticipated fifth Mass Effect installment will never be released. ^[2] The game had been in development for some time, and it was announced in 2020. ^[3]

EA's layoffs resulted in the loss of 400+ jobs, and that figure is across EA as a whole. ^[3] BioWare was founded in 1995 and gave players Baldur's Gate, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age and Mass Effect. ^[3]

What the leaked trailer is

One of the leaks was an internal trailer used to communicate the game's James Bond-esque vibe. ^[1] It appeared on Reddit, where a commenter in the Mass Effect subreddit posted the video. ^[2]

The trailer tells viewers that its footage uses pre-production assets and comes from a small team. ^[2] Its title card gives the game's name as Mass Effect: Universe. ^[2]

EA has not confirmed the trailer as official. ^[3] Other people, including Jason Schreier, have attested to its authenticity. ^[3]

Where it differs from the earlier games

The leaked trailer indicates that Shepard did not return in the fifth game, contrary to rumors. ^[2] Instead it shows a new ex-military protagonist who walks into a crowded space bar and is approached by an unnamed Asari. ^[2]

That protagonist is a covert operative charged with making the choices no one else is willing to make. ^[3] According to content creator Dantics, the character would have been more of a James Bond/John Wick character, which the trailer reflects. ^[3]

Rather than a massive galactic threat, the story would seemingly have revolved around a cold war between powers. ^[3] Dantics also says Mass Effect 5 was set 600 years after Mass Effect 3. ^[3]

The Geth would have had a major presence as an in-universe faction. ^[3]

Familiar faces and a new Quarian

In the trailer, Dr. Liara T'Soni lowers her hood, revealing herself to the camera. ^[2] The main character then catches up with a potential villain and, with the aid of Liara, brings her down in a bar. ^[3]

One report says Liara would have been an Asari matriarch. Since no one else has offered that detail, the article that reported it says to treat it with caution. ^[3]

The trailer also shows an unnamed male Quarian companion who seems roguish and tech savvy. ^[1] Tali'Zorah vas Normandy is the only other Quarian squadmate in the series, and she is on the team for all three games if she survives Mass Effect 2. ^[1]

The Quarians had not yet arrived in the Andromeda galaxy when Mass Effect: Andromeda began. Their plotline was left on a cliffhanger after BioWare was forced to cancel its DLC. ^[1]