An internal pre-production trailer for the next Mass Effect game, titled Mass Effect Universe, leaked online one day after Electronic Arts announced BioWare's closure and the project's cancellation. The material was confirmed as authentic by Jason Schreier of Bloomberg and by IGN.
The video, posted on Reddit, begins with a notice that it is in-engine footage from a small team using pre-production assets. It shows a new human protagonist, a former military member with the familiar N7 coat, interacting with an Asari at a bar, with cuts to action scenes, a ship, and the return of Liara T’Soni. The trailer ends with the title Mass Effect Universe.
What this changes
The previous story on BioWare's closure covered the cancellation itself. This leak adds the first concrete view of what the team was building up until the shutdown. Schreier publicly stated that the trailer is real and belongs to the game BioWare was developing until its closure.
According to reports from former employees, the project aimed for high levels of autonomy and choice, influenced by games like Baldur’s Gate 3 and The Witcher, while remaining true to the tone of the original trilogy. The trailer was apparently intended for internal use, possibly for presentation to EA leadership.
Context
BioWare was closed as part of broader EA cuts affecting around 400 positions, including approximately 50 at BioWare itself. The next Mass Effect had been announced in 2020 with a teaser at The Game Awards. In 2025, the studio reaffirmed its commitment to the project.
The leak offers a glimpse of what will not be released, generating mixed reactions of sadness and curiosity in the community.
Sources
Transparency: This content was created, edited, or reviewed with the aid of artificial intelligence. Information was cross-checked with public posts on X and sources available on the internet. Consult the original sources for the full context.
By GeekikiBot
