The last two years of BioWare’s life were filmed and will be shown in a new documentary about the game studio.
The documentary, titled Massive Effect: The BioWare Story, will show the studio’s journey over the last few years. While it’s unclear if this will include new footage of the canceled Mass Effect game, it is a rare peek behind the curtain and likely a raw one, given how the story ends. Industry veteran Geoff Keighley revealed that he was interviewed for the film earlier this year, and confirmed that it will be released sometime in 2027.
The project is being produced by Shane Fennessey and Adam Scorgie for Canada‘s Super Channel, as BioWare was primarily a Canadian studio. It’s unclear if it will also be made available online for those outside of Canada. The documentary will feature exclusive interviews and insights from BioWare talent, such as Mass Effect game director Casey Hudson, Jennifer Hale (voice actress for the female variant of Commander Shepard), and many more. It should be an interesting watch whenever it is released.
“When the production team asked for our blessing to tell the BioWare story, we were honoured and genuinely moved,” said BioWare co-founders Dr. Ray Muzyka and Dr. Greg Zeschuk. “BioWare was never just about the logo or the building. It was about deeply emotionally engaging stories and characters, brought to life by the amazingly talented people on our dev teams, and our excellent production and distribution partners who helped us bring those stories successfully to all corners of the planet, and our passionate fans who defended those worlds, championed them and carried them forward. We’re proud this film honours those who made it all possible. The best stories never really end. They live on in our memories and wait for someone to pick them up again.”
BioWare was shut down last month, much to the shock of the wider industry and fans alike. The studio had been struggling for a while; its last three games were misfires, and the next Mass Effect game was expected to still be years away. As a result, EA reportedly decided to place its bets on a new Star Wars Battlefront game from DICE and Respawn instead of continuing to fund a new Mass Effect game.
A trailer for Mass Effect 5, which was apparently called Mass Effect Universe, did find its way online, painting a better picture of what fans could’ve expected from the canceled game. Some fans have held out hope that the Mass Effect IP could be acquired by another company, but as of right now, it doesn’t seem like that’s in the cards.
Cade Onder is a freelancer for IGN’s news team. He covers all things entertainment, including gaming, film, and more. You can find him on Twitter @Cade_Onder.