Following the cancellation of the next Mass Effect game and the tragic closure of BioWare, its developers are starting to share their experiences.
We hear from Nicolas “Sparth” Bouvier, who revealed he had been hired as the Art Director of the Mass Effect franchise in April.
If the name rings a bell, that’s not surprising. Bouvier is known for his work on the Halo franchise starting from Halo 4, but his contribution to the art of games goes much deeper, including glorious titles like Assassin’s Creed and many more.
He spoke on X (formerly Twitter), hinting that the team was really good and experience, and great at what it was doing.
“In light of last week’s news about BioWare’s closure, I felt it was time to share something I haven’t talked about publicly: from April until last week, I was the art director of the Mass Effect franchise.
During this time, it was a privilege to work alongside such a talented team, with the shared ambition of exploring new creative territories while staying true to the legacy and spirit of the Mass Effect trilogy.
Knowing that this work will never see the light of day is truly heartbreaking. We were good at this. We really were. I’m thinking about the team, the talent, what we could have achieved.
In nearly 30 years in this industry, I’ve rarely seen a group so tightly knit, so experienced, and so good at working together. And I feel extremely honored to have been part of it.
As for what comes next, I’d be curious to peek into my own future. I simply don’t know. For now, I’ll take a bit of time before figuring out next steps. In the meantime, I wish everyone affected all the very best for what lies ahead.”
In the meantime, fans are reacting proactively to Electronic Arts’ criminal treatment of one of the most appreciated sci-fi IPs in the history of gaming and of its developers.
A petition on Change.org with the #SaveMassEffect hashtag has already passed a quarter of a million signatures, while a GoFundMe quickly raised the funds required to purchase billboards in Times Square, in front of EA and EA Edmonton’s offices, and the theater that will host The Game Awards.
While EA remains quiet on the issue, you can find inspiration by watching the leaked trailer of Mass Effect: Universe and listening to the music created by acclaimed composer Austin Wintory, who was in talks to score the game.
