As the battle rages between the public and EA, more and more is being revealed about the Mass Effect title we also got before BioWare’s closure. Every game is a marriage of all different kinds of artistic mediums, but the music of Mass Effect has always stood out, capturing the planet-hopping tone with remarkable panache.
Alongside plans for the plot, world design, and the current standing of the galaxy, Austin Wintory, the planned composer for Mass Effect Universe, released 22 minutes of drafted music he wrote as a love letter for the game, and a test run of it’s OST. Titled ‘The Music That Might Have Been’, a video of the music has been released to Wintory’s YouTube, already amassed thousands of views in the short time since its release.
Art on Full Display
The video itself is a remarkably transparent showcase of not only 20 minutes of music, but discussions of the intentional motifs and meanings behind each track, all primed to pay homage to different parts of Mass Effect’s trilogy. Wintory was deeply affected by the original title, opening the video describing it as ” . . .among my favorite all-time games,” mere moments after finishing it.
Wintory’s passion is palpable in the music he composed, with each song feeling like a perfect evolution of previous tracks while bringing something new to each. Even if he didn’t know what Universe had to offer narratively, his tracks match the idea of a peak into a galaxy long after it’s final fight, with an excited twinge towards the next chapters of its story.
Every game is a marriage of all different kinds of artistic mediums, but the music of Mass Effect has always stood out, capturing the planet-hopping tone with remarkable panache.
Personally, the track titled ‘Something Different, Something Older’ feels like a perfect fit for the franchise, blending the sci-fi fantasy with creeping dread, perfect for the truly alien foes and strange technologies surrounding some of Mass Effect’s grandest moments. Getting to experience this love letter without the game it’s truly meant for feels downright tragic, but serves as a beautiful showcase of just how much the series means to so many.
The #SaveMassEffect initiative has already proven to be a rabid success, gathering over 200,000 signatures over its week-long lifespan, even buying out spots in Times Square. I don’t think EA realizes just how important Mass Effect is to so many, or how hard fans are willing to fight in order to give BioWare back their baby, even if it needs to take a different form.
What Comes Next?
The future of Mass Effect is incredibly up in the air, even as fans fight to secure its position in the gaming industry. EA is in internal discussions to find a studio to handle the game, and no word has been made from the developers who previously worked at BioWare other than the leaked concepts for the original title.
While BioWare reclaiming the title is unlikely, successes like the reformation of Tango Gameworks remind us that it isn’t impossible for this story to have a bittersweet, if still frustrating, ending. EA has been tight-lipped in response to the public backlash, leaving fans and critics alike with nothing to do but theorize.
EA is sure to respond soon, as the overwhelming public support for the title is repeatedly banged on their front door. I genuinely believe they didn’t realize how much fans care about another title, and if they find a studio, Mass Effect 5 could still absolutely happen, even if it won’t take the same shape Universe planned on covering.
As it stands, Mass Effect is a series with mountains of love, and the constant outcrop of voices, music, and art being created to show that support is heartwarming in a time the industry needs it the most. Let’s just hope for a happy ending to this particular saga.
💸 Earn Instantly With This Task
No fees, no waiting — your earnings could be 1 click away.
Start Earning
