Electronic Arts has been going through tough times lately. Between layoffs and the abandonment of certain projects, where does this leave the highly anticipated sci-fi game Mass Effect 5?
Recent events have caused Electronic Arts to take unfortunate actions. More than 8,000 jobs have been lost in 2024 alone in recent months, and some licenses are a cause for concern. We are thinking in particular of Star Wars, since the FPS planned by Respawn in the universe of The Mandalorian has been canceled. EA has indicated that it is willing to sacrifice its least profitable licenses at the altar of profitability. Dragon Age 4 would be one of the survivors and would even be released this year, but what about Mass Effect 5?
Mass Effect 5 survives the chaos at EA
We assure you from the outset, according to the information provided byIGN, Mass Effect 5 would still be relevant. It is reportedly still in pre-production, the stage the project has been in since last August. Things seem to be progressing slowly but surely, as BioWare announced the color a few months ago. The majority of the studios’ workforce is focused on Dragon Age 4 Dreadwolf, which is also one of the survivors of the purge currently raging in the industry. According to information from Jeff Grubb, EA even plans to release it at the end of the year, a few months after the expected presentation this summer.
When it comes to Mass Effect 5, you have to be patient. The game was announced in 2020 and features one of fan-favorite characters: Liara T’Soniu. Since then, we’ve received a few teasers that suggest a few things. It was enough to fuel all sorts of theories. First, the mysterious Geth and Angara races could play an important role in the new work if one of Mass Effect 3’s endings finally becomes canon after decades of speculation and debate among fans.
Finally, it could bring back the morality system that lets you choose between pragmatism and reconciliation. This mechanic was very present in the second and third titles before being pushed out of Mass Effect: Andromeda. However, at this point it all remains speculation and given the communication surrounding Dragon Age 4, it will be years before we have anything concrete.
We have to wait a while longer
Before all these new developments come about, we actually have to be patient. It’s certainly positive that EA is still devoting resources to Mass Effect 5, but the priorities are completely different. The company said it wants to focus on its strong franchises. These include Star Wars: Jedi and Marvel games like Iron Man or Black Panther. The goal here is to repair the broken problems with safe assets through maximum recapitalization. Also, of course, we’ll have to wait until Bioware finishes Dragon Age: Dreadwold before they fully get to work on the next Mass Effect installment. Some say the software will arrive in at least five years, i.e. 2029.