Footage of canceled Mass Effect project emerges online following BioWare closure

Electronic Arts has shut down BioWare and canceled the studio's next Mass Effect project, but an unreleased trailer for the game surfaced on Reddit just one day later. The leaked video, which runs slightly over two minutes, indicates that the canceled title was named Mass Effect: Universe. [1][2]

A message at the start of the video notes that it depicts in-engine footage utilizing pre-production assets rather than finished gameplay. The scene highlights a conversation between an ex-soldier and a mysterious Asari in a bar, flashing back to combat that resembles the gameplay of the franchise's original trilogy. An alleged former employee claimed the trailer had sat completed for months. [1][2]

The leak contradicts EA management's claims to staff that the game was merely in early development, despite an initial teaser appearing back in 2020. The project's cancellation follows years of internal turmoil at BioWare, which saw staff dwindle to around 50 members after recent releases failed to hit internal targets. [2]