We seem to be in a golden age of video game adaptations. TV series like The Last of Us and Fallout have achieved critical acclaim and awards recognition, and there are plenty of other such projects on the way. One of the most notable shows in development is Mass Effect, based on BioWare’s seminal sci-fi RPG franchise. As fans wait for the next installment of the game series, many fans are curious to see how the TV series will turn out. Over the summer, word was Mass Effect would be drawing from the first game in the original trilogy, bringing the story of Commander Shepard to a new medium. However, an update straight from BioWare reveals that isn’t the case.
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In a blog post on its website, BioWare shared some details about the upcoming Mass Effect TV show. “The writers room is going strong, and we’ve got a lot figured out about how it fits within the Mass Effect canon, and where it sits in respect to the new game,” it reads. “The show will explore a brand-new story within the universe’s timeline, and will be set after the original trilogy. It won’t be a retread of Commander Shepard’s story – because after all … that’s YOUR story, isn’t it?”
Mass Effect Telling a New Story for TV Is for the Best
Seeing Shepard and the other memorable characters from the Mass Effect trilogy make the jump to TV would have been interesting, but it’s arguably for the best that the creative team is taking things in a different direction. Much like Star Wars and Star Trek, the Mass Effect universe is vast with unlimited storytelling potential. It’d be a missed opportunity if the TV series simply retread familiar narrative ground instead of expanding the franchise mythology in fascinating ways. The appeal of sticking with what’s familiar is somewhat understandable, but it would run the risk of making the universe feel small when this is a chance to explore uncharted territory on the Mass Effect timeline.
It would also be very difficult to properly adapt Commander Shepard’s story for TV. The Mass Effect games are built around player choice, with decisions made throughout the campaign impacting character arcs and plot developments. With all the branching pathways available in the Mass Effect trilogy, crafting a narrative that would be satisfying for a majority of the audience is an impossible task. Adapting a game with a set, linear story is hard enough on that front (see: The Last of Us Season 2). Anyone who’s played Mass Effect has their own ideas for how Shepard’s journey should unfold, so it’s much better to tell a story that’s made specifically for TV that works within the confines of that medium.
Though BioWare confirmed the Mass Effect TV series will be set after the events of the original trilogy, it didn’t share any further details. Right now, that timeframe is quite vague, and it’ll be interesting to see when exactly in the Mass Effect timeline the show is set. It could take place shortly after Mass Effect 3 and explore the state of the galaxy following the defeat of the Reapers (though that could require the showrunners to pick one of that game’s ending as official canon, something they may want to avoid). The TV show could also be set well into the future, similar to the game Mass Effect: Andromeda, which took place 600 years after the trilogy. This would allow for maximum creative freedom.
A new Mass Effect game remains in development, and it’ll be interesting to see how it connects to the TV show (if it does at all). Development cycles on games are very extensive these days, meaning it would be extremely difficult for BioWare and Prime Video to work in conjunction with each other and have their respective projects crossover. Whether it’s a TV series, a movie, or a video game, things are always subject to change when a title is in development, so it might be best if the Mass Effect show and future game stood alone. The writers room wants to make sure nothing in the TV show contradicts events from the games, but they shouldn’t look to incorporate the same characters and story beats.
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Image courtesy of Focus Features.
