Composer Austin Wintory, known for his work on games like Journey and Assassin's Creed Syndicate, has shared approximately 20 minutes of music he created during discussions to score BioWare's ultimately canceled Mass Effect 5. Wintory described the project as his "ultimate white whale" and "career's biggest dream project."
In a description accompanying the music on YouTube, Wintory explained that his proposal to BioWare and EA was to use the original Mass Effect score by Jack Wall and Sam Hulick as a foundation, expanding upon it with increased use of analog synthesizers and orchestral elements. He aimed to create a "love letter" to the franchise. As he had not yet received narrative details for the game, the music was purely exploratory.
Wintory produced the eight tracks, featuring a range of styles from main themes and intense battle music to atmospheric story cues, using synths, vocals, and a large orchestra. He expressed deep disappointment upon learning of the project's cancellation and the shutdown of BioWare, noting the difficulty of seeing friends lose their jobs and a beloved franchise seemingly disappear.
Fans of the Mass Effect series have initiated petitions to revive the canceled game, though the notes indicate these efforts do not specify a preference for the original development team to continue the project. This release of music offers a glimpse into what could have been for Commander Shepard's next chapter.