Composer Austin Wintory, known for his work on games like Journey and Stray Gods, has shared 20 minutes of music he composed as a potential soundtrack for Mass Effect 5. Wintory was reportedly in serious discussions with BioWare and EA for the project, which he described as a "dream project" and a "white whale."
Wintory presented the music as "My Mass Effect 5 early musical drafts" and "Mass Effect: Universe, the music that might have been." He created these pieces as a starting point and audition for the game's score, aiming to build upon the original Mass Effect's soundtrack by incorporating deeper use of analog synthesizers and a more integrated orchestral sound.
He noted that he did not have specific story details for the in-development game, so his themes and track titles were speculative, inspired by the series' established lore. Among the pieces shared were candidate themes for "The Legacy of Shepard" and a more upbeat combat track titled "Hold the Line."
Wintory expressed a desire to "surprise [EA and BioWare] with an elaborate production" and mentioned that the demos were recorded with synths, vocals, and a large orchestra in Los Angeles. He felt a strong connection to the Mass Effect universe, stating that "to even dream in your sandbox was a privilege."