Leaked Mass Effect 5 Trailer Will Break Your Heart

Ever wonder what we lost when EA shut down BioWare? A newly leaked trailer for the canceled Mass Effect 5 just gave us a heartbreaking glimpse. Uploaded to Reddit earlier today, the trailer hasn't been verified by BioWare, but it doesn't bear any hallmarks of generative AI, and a short message before it begins implies it was planned to debut at a later date—perhaps N7 Day or The Game Awards. "The following is in-engine footage from our small team," the text reads. "It uses our pre-production assets."

What follows is one of the most exciting game trailers I've seen in years. We learn the name of the game—Mass Effect: Universe—and meet the male version of its protagonist (though given the franchise's history, players likely could have chosen their gender). This nameless hero is in a bar, flirting heavily with an Asari. After some romantic banter, he explains that he and his crew "put out fires." Something in the Asari's eyes changes. She leans in, whispering that he should be careful—she prefers starting fires. It seems she was planning to double-cross him, but as soon as she admits her villainous intentions, the protagonist's crew (all lurking undercover nearby) reveal themselves one by one.

A fight breaks out, and we catch a glimpse of the protagonist's combat abilities, interspersed with brief clips from other parts of the game, including a romance scene. He fights off Krogan and Turian enemies, blasting them with anti-gravity fields and gunfire alike. The trailer ends with a black screen that reads, "Coming soon."

On paper, this might sound similar to the first real look we got at Dragon Age: The Veilguard, which also ended in a bar fight. But there's one massive difference: tone. Where Veilguard's trailer introduced a controversial new art style and featured loads of quippy, goofy, MCU-style dialogue, Mass Effect: Universe's bar fight feels dangerous, intriguing, and sexy. It feels like Mass Effect; it draws you in and instantly makes you want to learn more.

And that's the most heartbreaking part: we will almost certainly never learn more about this game, as EA has unceremoniously shut down the studio that created it. EA may also prefer not to sell the Mass Effect IP, given its history of saying, "No, we're not making this game, but nobody else is allowed to make it, either." While it's impossible to judge a game solely from one trailer, one thing is clear: the Mass Effect: Universe team was working hard to right the ship after Mass Effect: Andromeda's tepid reception, and based on this footage, they were doing a damn good job. The fact that they weren't given the opportunity to finish is devastating—for the developers and for the many players who were eagerly waiting to dive back into a franchise they love.

At least we've still got the Mass Effect TV show to look forward to, I guess. What do you think—does this leaked trailer make the cancellation sting even more? Will you be holding out hope for a miracle?