A fan-led movement to preserve the Mass Effect franchise has escalated its campaign by securing a billboard in Times Square, New York City. The #SaveMassEffect initiative, which has garnered over 200,000 signatures on its Change.org petition, aims to pressure Electronic Arts to either continue the series with a different developer or license it out to another studio. This latest effort follows the reported closure of BioWare, the original developer behind the acclaimed sci-fi RPG series.
The billboard, located at 1560 Broadway above the Pelé store in Duffy Square, displays a short animation featuring the Quarian phrase "Keelah Si’yah," which translates to "By the homeworld I hope to find one day." This phrase is also associated with the Quarian Ark in Mass Effect: Andromeda. Content creator Kala Elizabeth, a participant in the movement, purchased the ad time for $250 and indicated plans for future crowdfunding efforts for additional demonstrations. Initially, a more common Quarian phrase was considered but was reportedly flagged for copyright reasons.
The campaign's visibility has also coincided with leaks concerning the fifth Mass Effect game, reportedly titled Mass Effect: Universe. These leaks include internal cinematic trailers and plot details, reportedly originating from individuals who consulted on the project. The petition directly addresses EA, urging the publisher to facilitate the continuation of the Mass Effect saga, either by assigning the project to another developer or by licensing the intellectual property to external studios.
This public display in Times Square echoes previous fan-driven initiatives, such as when Overwatch fans utilized billboard space for a meme featuring the character Venture. The #SaveMassEffect movement hopes its prominent placement will amplify awareness and encourage EA to address their concerns regarding the future of the beloved Mass Effect universe.