Details have surfaced regarding the cancelled Mass Effect game, codenamed Mass Effect Universe, from a content creator who claims to have advised BioWare during its development. YouTuber Dantics stated via a lengthy social media post that he was part of the "Mass Effect Council" and provided feedback on the project.
According to Dantics, the game was envisioned to take place over 600 years after the Reaper War, shifting focus from an external threat to an internal galactic conflict. The proposed setting featured a "galactic Cold War" among three major factions: an alliance of humanity, Krogan, and Batarians; a coalition of Council races; and the Geth establishing themselves as a third superpower. The game would also have incorporated Geth-built megastructures and connections between the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies, alongside a mysterious "shadowy adversary."
Players would have assumed the role of a customizable N7 agent, described by Dantics as a blend of John Wick and James Bond, equipped with experimental implants enabling environmental hacking, wall-penetrating vision, and remote hazard activation. Missions were planned to be handcrafted, reminiscent of the original trilogy, but with the flexibility for players to approach objectives with "Hitman-style freedom." The game also reportedly featured brutal close-range executions, squadmates with dynamic inter-party relationships, more mature romance options, and a narrative that preserved Commander Shepard's legacy regardless of the player's chosen ending from previous games. Liara T'Soni was slated to return as a powerful Asari Matriarch.
Dantics expressed that "From what I saw, BioWare was making Mass Effect for us, the fans... It looked incredible. And now we may never get to play it."
This information remains unconfirmed, as neither BioWare nor EA has issued official statements, and Dantics's purported role on the council has not been independently verified. The revelations follow the confirmed authenticity of an internal trailer for Mass Effect Universe, which surfaced after BioWare's closure and the cancellation of the game. These events occurred amidst broader EA job cuts impacting studios like Respawn, Maxis, Full Circle, and EA Motive.