EA shut down BioWare a few weeks ago, cancelling the in-development “Mass Effect: Universe” at the same time.
The announcement shook the industry, especially fans of BioWare’s games and the “Mass Effect” universe in particular with efforts to try and save it – even booking billboard space in Times Square. The official petition launched this weekend and has received over 320,000 signatures in just over a day so far.
The Edmonton-based studio is such a source of pride for that city that a petition to save it will reportedly be presented in the Canadian government House of Commons.
Polygon recently spoke to Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale, the voice actors for Shepard, about the shut down. Hale says:
“BioWare was, in some beautiful, quiet ways, a very Canadian company. Their games were inclusive. Their games bucked against tradition and [BioWare] did it their own way, quietly, but excellently. And they moved us forward, not by shouting and preaching, but simply by doing it in a very cool way.”
She adds that EA’s 2025 sale to private investors, including Saudi Arabia’s Public Investment Fund, clashed with “the original spirit of BioWare” before its acquisition by EA years ago.
She’s hoping that EA is willing to part with the Mass Effect IP so that fans can “come together to own this IP as kind of a Mass Effect collective for the fans by the community, because there’s some incredible devs in this community, incredible creators.”
EA still owns the BioWare assets including the “Mass Effect” and “Dragon Age” franchises with former BioWare execs seemingly split on if they think the company will sell them off.
Meer says the outpouring of love for the games online is “something to behold” and says “there is this real thirst for games that really have storytelling and a narrative”. Both actors support the #SaveMassEffect petition even as they do not have any sort of organizational role in the campaign:
“Ultimately, I think it’s people showing that they’re not really ready to let this universe go, and they would like to see more of it. If it is just them showing how much it’s meant to them, I think that’s valid as well.”
The talk comes as this weekend saw N7 Day (November 7th), an annual celebration of all things in the “Mass Effect” franchise. Check out a video below of the various character voice actors supporting the petition.
Today is a very special day for Mass Effect fans.
We’ve worked incredibly hard to bring together most of the original Mass Effect trilogy’s voice cast to share a very important message with you.
We need to #SaveMassEffect. https://t.co/FOp0qp4wBI
— We are Mass Effect – #SaveMassEffect (@WeAreMassEffect) November 7, 2026
