Details have emerged regarding the development of the now-canceled fifth installment in the Mass Effect series, tentatively titled Mass Effect: Universe. The game, which was reportedly being worked on by a reduced BioWare team before EA ultimately pulled the plug, aimed to address the diverging endings of Mass Effect 3 through the passage of time.
According to a leak shared by a YouTuber and corroborated by a separate source, Mass Effect: Universe would have been set 600 years after the events of Mass Effect 3. This significant time jump would have allowed the narrative to acknowledge the player's choices from the previous game without invalidating them. For instance, Reapers surviving the Control ending would be considered "outdated tech" by this new era, while the Synthesis choice would see players naturally reaching a synthetic-organic hybrid state, and the Destroy ending would feature Commander Shepard as a long-dead historical figure whose legacy remained influential.
The game's lore establishes that following the destruction of the Mass Relays in Mass Effect 3, humanity was isolated. However, the Citadel remained in orbit above Earth, leading to an alliance between humans, krogan, and batarians. The council races—turians, salarians, and asari—formed their own independent alliances. Over the intervening 600 years, the Mass Relays were rebuilt, and technology advanced significantly, reaching a "singular point."
In this new era, the Geth would have formed a third faction, engaged in a "Cold War" with the other two, orchestrated by an unknown force that the player would investigate. Their role could have been influenced by Shepard's Mass Effect 3 ending, particularly if the Destroy option was chosen, leading to the deaths of many Geth. The Geth were also reportedly developing structures to connect the Milky Way and Andromeda galaxies.
The player character was slated to be an N7 agent with gameplay that drew inspiration from titles like James Bond and John Wick, emphasizing hand-to-hand combat in confined spaces. Experimental cybernetic technology in the player's head would have offered capabilities similar to Cyberpunk 2077's hacking, providing more dynamic interaction with the game world. Missions were intended to be more streamlined, akin to the original trilogy, rather than the open-world structure of Mass Effect: Andromeda.
Character customization was planned, with the hero seen in the leaked trailer being a "default" male version. Squadmates were also expected to feature internal conflicts, reminiscent of companion dynamics seen in Mass Effect 2.
This approach to handling Mass Effect 3's endings aligns with BioWare's stated philosophy on player choice, as echoed by Dragon Age: The Veilguard creative director Epler, who noted the studio's general avoidance of establishing a single canon to respect player decisions. The potential loss of Mass Effect: Universe and the future of the franchise under EA has drawn criticism from fans and observers alike.