Development on the now-canceled BioWare project, codenamed "Mass Effect: Universe," reportedly saw diversity-focused elements removed from presentations to Electronic Arts (EA) executives. Anonymous developers, speaking to French outlet BFM Tech, suggested these changes were made to avoid potentially negative feedback from higher-ups, particularly after EA's acquisition by a consortium including the Saudi Arabian Public Investment Fund.
According to the report, which Kotaku has independently translated, the game was slated for a late 2028 release. It would have taken place 600 years in the future, featured a new protagonist, and included Liara T'Soni from the original trilogy in a significant role. Developers were reportedly working with Unreal Engine after the challenging experience with Frostbite on "Mass Effect: Andromeda," and progress was considered to be going well despite some missed deadlines.
However, the situation changed following EA's acquisition. Sources cited in the BFM Tech report claim that video proposals shown to the new management failed to convince them of the project's viability. One developer alleged that a flag, described as resembling a Pride flag, was removed from a demonstration. This decision, they stated, was made out of fear it "could cause friction" with executive management, especially as the BioWare team already felt "Mass Effect" was not a priority for EA.
Sylvain Trinel, the BFM Tech reporter, clarified that the removal was not an attempt to hide inclusive elements but rather to "anticipate negative feedback from conservative executives." This was reportedly in consideration of EA's "current shareholding structure." EA was shuttered shortly after the acquisition.
Concerns about the impact of EA's new ownership on inclusive content had previously surfaced. Following EA's August acquisition, some employees reportedly expressed fears that the new owners' ties could lead to a reduction in inclusive themes and characters in historically diverse studios and series, such as "The Sims." While EA management had initially stated that the new owners would not make creative decisions, the alleged incident with the "Mass Effect: Universe" demo suggests that the anticipation of potential backlash can lead to preemptive compliance.