Save Mass Effect: Petition Passes 197,000 Signatures After BioWare Shutdown
By Indie Kings | October 26, 2026
Updated October 26, 2026: The Save Mass Effect petition has passed 197,000 signatures, with both Shepard actors backing it, days after EA shut BioWare and canceled Mass Effect 5.
Image: Mass Effect 2 booth at PAX 2009 via Wikimedia Commons.
The petition and the milestone
Per GamesBeat, more than 197,000 fans signed the change.org Save Mass Effect petition after EA announced last week it was shutting down BioWare. The petitioners include Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale, the actors who voiced the male and female versions of Commander Shepard. The petition calls on EA to commit to continued development of Mass Effect with proper funding, adequate staffing, and enough time to maintain the franchise's standards, or alternatively to license the IP to another studio that shares the passion and vision.
Why EA is in this position
Per GamesBeat, EA laid off about 400 of its 14,500 people last week and shut BioWare, cutting staff at other studios such as Ripple Effect and The Sims in the process. The publisher carries roughly $20 billion in debt after its $55 billion buyout by a group led by Saudi Arabia's Public Investment Fund. Franchises now without a home include Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. In Canada, NDP opposition leader Avi Lewis has publicly called for government support to revive the Edmonton studio.
Facts at a glance
| Fact | Detail |
|---|---|
| Petition | change.org Save Mass Effect, created October 21, 2026 |
| Signatures | Over 197,000 per GamesBeat on Oct 25, up from 121K on Oct 24 |
| Trigger | EA closed BioWare and canceled Mass Effect 5 on October 21 |
| Job losses | About 400 EA layoffs of 14,500 staff, BioWare shut |
| Actor support | Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale, both Shepard voices |
| EA debt context | About $20 billion after the $55 billion PIF-led buyout |
| Demand | Resume ME5 with resources or license the IP elsewhere |
FAQ
How many signatures does the petition have?
Over 197,000 as of October 25, per GamesBeat, from 121K a day earlier.
What started it?
EA's October 21 announcement that it would close BioWare and cancel Mass Effect 5.
Which Shepard actors joined?
Mark Meer and Jennifer Hale, the voices of male and female Commander Shepard.
What is the petition asking EA to do?
Commit to continuing Mass Effect with proper funding and staffing, or license the IP to a committed studio.
Will a petition bring the studio back?
There is no evidence so far; EA has not responded to the petition.
What else did EA lose that week?
Dragon Age, Neverwinter Nights, and Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic are among franchises left without a home.
Bottom Line
Nearly a quarter million signatures in four days, plus the actual voice of Shepard asking for the franchise's life, is as loud as fan pressure gets. What it cannot fix is the balance sheet, because a $55 billion leveraged buyout gives the decision to the people EA owes, not the people EA entertains.
Sources
- GamesBeat (Dean Takahashi): Almost 200K fans sign petition to save Mass Effect series after EA shuts BioWare, Oct 25 2026, accessed 26 October 2026
- Eurogamer (Vikki Blake): 187K+ fans call for EA to Save Mass Effect, Oct 25 2026; kursiv.media on Avi Lewis, Oct 24 2026
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