A fan petition calling on Electronic Arts to preserve the Mass Effect franchise has surpassed 200,000 signatures following BioWare’s closure and the cancellation of its next game. The #SaveMassEffect campaign, launched on October 21, 2026, has also received public support from Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, the voice actors behind the female and male versions of Commander Shepard.
The Change.org petition, organized by Joe Smith, had accumulated 203,892 verified signatures as of October 26, according to published figures. The campaign reached the milestone within five days of EA’s decision to shut down BioWare, demonstrating considerable support among players who want the science-fiction RPG series to continue.
Rather than demanding that EA reopen BioWare, the petition presents two possible paths for Mass Effect’s future. Its primary request is for the publisher to commit to developing another installment with sufficient funding, staffing and development time.
Alternatively, the campaign proposes licensing the Mass Effect intellectual property to another studio capable of continuing the franchise. This would allow another developer to create future games without requiring EA to restore BioWare.
The petition argues that Mass Effect’s emphasis on storytelling, player decisions and its established science-fiction universe makes preserving the series important to its audience. However, the proposal remains a fan-led request rather than an official development or licensing arrangement.
The movement follows EA’s decision to close BioWare and cancel its next Mass Effect game, announced on October 21. The shutdown ended development of the franchise’s planned successor, leaving its future uncertain.
Further attention followed the emergence of details from the canceled Mass Effect Universe project, which described a customizable N7 protagonist, a galactic Cold War setting and gameplay involving infiltration and player choice. The material offered fans a glimpse of the direction BioWare had been exploring before the project was canceled.
Support for the petition has extended to actors closely associated with the original Mass Effect trilogy.
Jennifer Hale, who voiced the female version of Commander Shepard, shared a video discussing the possibility of bringing the franchise back through a community-supported initiative. Her proposed scenario involved fans organizing a crowdfunding campaign, attracting investors and partnering with a game development studio.
Hale’s comments were an expression of support for the franchise rather than an announcement of an established crowdfunding project.
Mark Meer, who voiced the male version of Shepard, subsequently endorsed the campaign in his own social media video. Meer encouraged followers to sign the petition and repeated the familiar Mass Effect phrase “Hold the line.”
The campaign has also received attention from other gaming communities and developers. Owlcat Games, the studio developing The Expanse: Osiris Reborn, publicly supported the movement through the game’s official social media account and encouraged players to consider signing.
Members of the Destiny community have similarly helped promote #SaveMassEffect, expanding the campaign’s visibility beyond BioWare’s existing audience.
Some supporters have pursued additional efforts to draw EA’s attention. Mass Effect content creator Kala Elizabeth proposed organizing a billboard campaign near EA’s headquarters, while community organizers have discussed coordinating further activities.
Despite the growing number of signatures and public endorsements, EA has not announced plans to resume development, transfer the franchise to another studio or license Mass Effect to an outside publisher.
The petition does not obligate EA to take action, and its success in attracting supporters does not establish that another Mass Effect game will enter production.
Meanwhile, Amazon’s Mass Effect television adaptation reportedly remains in development despite BioWare’s shutdown. The continuation of that project does not, however, confirm any plans for future games.
For now, the 200,000-signature milestone represents a substantial public response to the cancellation of Mass Effect’s next installment. Whether EA will consider continued development or licensing the franchise remains unknown.
