What you need to know
- A Mass Effect TV series is in development at Amazon MGM Studios, according to a report from Variety.
- This report comes three years after a Deadline report alleged Amazon was working on a deal with Electronic Arts for a Mass Effect series.
- Michael Gamble, the director of the next Mass Effect game at BioWare, is reportedly attached to the series as an executive producer.
- Amazon MGM Studios has worked with Bethesda and Kilter Films on the acclaimed Fallout TV series, and is currently working on a second season.
A report is bearing, fruit three years later.
Electronic Arts and BioWare are partnering with Amazon MGM Studios on a Mass Effect TV series. That’s according to a report from Variety, which also reveals that Michael Gamble, creative director on the next Mass Effect game, is attached to the TV series as an executive producer.
Reportedly attached as writer is Daniel Casey, who has worked on the Fast and Furious franchise, as well as helping with rewrites of 10 Cloverfield Lane. Avi Arad and Karim Zreik, who have both worked on numerous Marvel films and shows, are also reportedly involved as executive producers on the series.
Outside of this, there’s little known about the plot or how the series will adapt the games. Mass Effect is a role-playing game series, with the first three games putting players in the boots of Commander Shepard as decisions ripple across the games, while Mass Effect: Andromeda told a separate story in the titular galaxy. BioWare is currently working on a fifth Mass Effect game, though little is known right now.
Amazon continues to invest in game adaptions for TV
Amazon previously partnered with Bethesda Game Studios and Kilter Films on the Fallout TV series, which arrived earlier in 2024 to critical acclaim and commercial success, winning two Emmys and reaching over 100 million viewers. A second season is currently in production.
Amazon is also currently working with PlayStation Productions and Sony Santa Monica on a God of War TV series, with Santa Monica’s Cory Barlog and Yumi Yang attached as executive producers.
I’m very curious how this Mass Effect show ends up working, considering that the focus on making player decisions matter and carry forward is such a big part of why those games resonated with myself and others.
In particular, I hope it doesn’t make the mistake of trying to present a “canon” journey ahead of the fifth game, meaning what we did doesn’t end up mattering. It’s fine if this series ends up being one version of events, but I’m hopeful that the fifth game can be a reset, instead of something that ends up cutting off prior branches.
Mass Effect Legendary Edition is currently available on Xbox Series X|S, Xbox One, Windows PC, PlayStation 5, and PlayStation 4.
