Mass Effect petition grows from 52,783 to over 170,000 signatures

This is a new development in a story we reported earlier: Mass Effect petition tops 52,783 signatures after BioWare shutdown.

Joe Smith started the #SaveMassEffect petition on Oct. 21, 2026, the day EA shut down BioWare and cancelled its upcoming Mass Effect game. IGN counted 52,783 signatures on Oct. 23, 2026, exceeding the original goal of 30,000, and by Oct. 25, 2026 the campaign had passed 170,000 signatures according to TweakTown.

Eurogamer reported 187,000 signatures on Oct. 25, 2026, while TechPowerUp said the petition had picked up close to 180,000 signatures in just a few days by that date. TweakTown put the figure at more than 170,000 by Oct. 25, 2026.

The petition asks EA either to place another studio in charge of Mass Effect and fund the next game’s development or to license the intellectual property so another studio can keep the series alive. It also calls for proper funding, adequate staffing and time to maintain the franchise’s standards, and says ending new Mass Effect developments would be devastating for fans and for the diversity of narrative-driven games. IGN said the petition does not ask EA to reinstate BioWare. Eurogamer said the petition describes fans investing thousands of hours and forming deep connections with characters and storylines.

IGN identified Joe Smith as the petition’s author. Smith is not asking EA to reverse the BioWare closure but is calling for decisive action on continued Mass Effect development. “Mass Effect holds a special place in the hearts of millions of players worldwide.” Joe Smith, IGN:

EA has not responded to the petition, and TweakTown and TechPowerUp said the company seems unlikely to do so because, as a private company, investor appeasement through positive public relations no longer applies in the same way. EA became private after a $55 billion leveraged buyout, a debt-financed purchase led by Saudi Arabia’s PIF, a deal that reportedly left the company with around $20 billion in debt. TechPowerUp said the petition carries no real weight with the PIF-led investor group, and IGN said petitions of this kind normally fail to spark corporate U-turns.

EA is cutting around 400 jobs, including roughly 50 workers tied to the cancelled Mass Effect game at BioWare and developers at Respawn, Maxis, Full Circle, EA Motive and other EA-owned studios. Former BioWare executive producer Mark Darrah said EA owns all BioWare intellectual property, might sell it or bury it in the vault, and described EA as being in cost-control mode. TechPowerUp said Darrah made the point because nobody remains working on the IPs after the shutdown.

Industry analyst Joost Van Dreunen said BioWare’s intellectual property is well-known but too expensive for most buyers, comparing it to other recently divested studios and noting CD Projekt Red is busy with its own projects. A former BioWare executive suggested EA might be more likely to sell the BioWare intellectual property after the closure, though analysts disagree. IGN said a politician wants the Canadian government to back a BioWare employee buyout of the studio, which could keep Mass Effect Universe development alive, though IGN called it a longshot likely taking years.

EA shut down BioWare on a Wednesday after a trailer for what is now called Mass Effect Universe leaked online, according to IGN. BioWare confirmed an internal trailer for the cancelled game was real after the studio’s closure. TechPowerUp said the petition launched the same day EA ended early development on the next Mass Effect game.

Fans took to social media en masse to mourn BioWare’s death, and IGN said the spirit of Mass Effect will likely live on in games like Exodus and The Expanse: Osiris Reborn. IGN said it feels unlikely Mass Effect will return despite the energy behind the petition effort. TweakTown said the petition demonstrates positive fan sentiment and potential intent to purchase a new Mass Effect game, though it holds no exact direct monetary value for EA. TechPowerUp said the nearly 180,000 signatures demonstrate there is still a sizable audience waiting for the next Mass Effect, and that a revival seems unlikely anytime soon given EA’s cost-control mode.