Mass Effect fans have launched campaigns to save the beloved sci-fi franchise.
Fans have been determined to save the cancelled Mass Effect franchise following the closure of BioWare at Electronic Arts (EA) last week.
A community-led movement organised by the We Are Mass Effect community has put up a billboard in New York's Times Square to promote the #SaveMassEffect campaign, with more planned in the coming months.
Meanwhile, an online petition calling to #SaveMassEffect has surpassed 239,000 signatures, urging EA to reverse its cancellation decision or license the franchise to another studio that can bring it back to life.
What is the #SaveMassEffect movement?
Fans have been left distraught following EA's shock closure of BioWare and Mass Effect cancellation last week. This is particularly disappointing for a community that has waited nearly a decade for the fifth instalment in the Mass Effect series, following the release of Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017.
With the franchise's future now in limbo, the long and gruelling wait for a new instalment has come to an abrupt and frustrating end. Just days after the new game's cancellation, a purportedly leaked trailer for the next Mass Effect game also surfaced, offering fans a glimpse of what could have been and further rubbing salt into the wound.
However, the community has decided to fight for their beloved sci-fi series.
The #SaveMassEffect movement began with an online petition on Change.org. It urges EA to commit to the continued development of Mass Effect, or consider licensing the intellectual property (IP) to another studio that shares the passion and vision needed to keep the franchise alive.
"By ensuring the ongoing expansion and enhancement of the Mass Effect universe, EA would not only preserve a cherished piece of gaming history but also continue to contribute to the cultural and emotional impact it has on gamers worldwide," the petition states.
The petition quickly gained traction, amassing more than 239,000 signatures, with the total continuing to rise.
More community-led campaigns have also been launched. The We Are Mass Effect group, led by founder Ariel Pena Aguilar, in collaboration with artist and YouTuber Kala Elizabeth, has put up a billboard in Times Square, New York City. The advertisement appears every 15 seconds over the course of an hour and runs throughout the day.
The billboard features the words "Keelah Si'yah", a reference to the language of Khelish, spoken by the Quarian species from the Mass Effect universe. The line translates to: "by the homeworld I hope to find one day," according to the Mass Effect Wiki.
What is the #SaveMassEffect movement planning?
One of the movement's organisers, Mer Mora, told Eurogamer that more campaigns were planned to support the cause.
These include an advertising truck near EA's headquarters in Redwood City, California, and in Edmonton, Canada; a mobile billboard for N7 Day; and another billboard in Los Angeles for The Game Awards.
All these advertisements will carry messages in support of the #SaveMassEffect campaign, as the community continues its efforts to persuade EA to reconsider the franchise's future.
Mora added that these initiatives will be funded by the community itself, channelled from a GoFundMe. Any funds that exceed the goal will be donated to the Game Workers’ Hardship Fund, which supports game developers who have been laid off across the Canada and USA.
