Mass Effect revival would cost over $200m, BioWare founder says

EA may have to spend big if it wants to revive Mass Effect

Trent Oster discussed the financial challenge on X, explaining that a full AAA revival would require a substantial investment of more than $200M before the publisher could even begin to see a return. 

He argued that EA would need a long-term plan for the franchise to justify spending that much money.

"That is a big number to commit up front. There has to be a bigger plan in place for the IP to make the math work," he wrote.

Oster did leave the door open to a smaller, less expensive project, but warned that it would not match the vision outlined in the team's Universe concept.

"It wouldn't be what the team described in the Universe concept," he said in a follow-up post.

Even with a reduced budget, he believes the project would need careful management and developers with the right experience. 

He also stressed that the series should have room to continue beyond a single release, adding: "The fans deserve more than one game."

Fans refuse to give up on Mass Effect

The discussion comes as the #SaveMassEffect campaign gathers support following EA's decision to shut down BioWare and cancel Mass Effect 5 earlier this year. 

The move left fans concerned that the franchise could be abandoned altogether, prompting calls for EA to reconsider.

Campaign supporters want the publisher to either continue making the games itself or find another developer capable of taking over the series. 

Oster has backed their efforts, posting on 4 November: "I love seeing all the energy around #SaveMassEffect," as the campaign continued to gain attention, according to Eurogamer.