The future of Mass Effect 5, currently in early development at BioWare, is uncertain following Electronic Arts' recent $55 billion acquisition by a consortium including the Saudi Public Investment Fund, private equity firm Silver Lake, and Affinity Partners. Former EA senior manager Emmanuel Rosier voiced his concerns regarding BioWare's continued funding prospects.
Rosier, who spent nearly a decade at EA and now works as director of market intelligence at Newzoo, told PC Gamer that BioWare's intellectual properties represent a question mark for the new ownership. "They've been struggling as a studio, as a brand have been struggling in recent years, and I don't know if they will keep funding that one," he stated, referring to BioWare's output. He noted that the studio's recent titles, including Anthem and Dragon Age: The Veilguard, underperformed commercially, while Mass Effect: Andromeda was a critical disappointment, despite the positive reception of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition remaster.
The significant investment in EA suggests a strong pressure for financial returns. Rosier anticipates that the new owners will likely prioritize lucrative franchises like EA Sports FC, Madden, and Battlefield. The fate of BioWare's IPs, which typically require long development cycles and carry higher costs, remains a significant unknown. "I will believe it when I see it, the next Mass Effect game, let's put it that way," Rosier commented on the likelihood of Mass Effect 5's release.
Mass Effect 5 is reportedly set hundreds of years after Mass Effect 3, returning to the Milky Way galaxy after the Reaper threat has passed. Early details suggest the return of fan-favorite character Liara, as well as the presence of Andromeda races and the Geth. The game is expected to feature the continuation of the N7 program and potentially a return of the Paragon/Renegade morality system. The development timeline for BioWare titles is often lengthy, a factor Rosier highlighted as a potential concern for investors less familiar with the studio's history. "I think everything can happen at this moment. They can pull the plug very, very easily. And if the new investor, they don't have that many feelings about the history of the portfolio, they will take the most financially sound decision most probably," he explained.
Adding to the anticipation, an Amazon Prime Video live-action Mass Effect series is also in development, set after the events of Mass Effect 3. This television project, if successful, could potentially influence EA's decision to continue supporting BioWare's game development. The long-term commitment to Mass Effect 5 and BioWare's future hinges on the financial strategy adopted by EA's new stakeholders.