Former BioWare Writer Calls Mass Effect TV Series 'Cringe'
Reports of a new Mass Effect TV series is written in the stars, and, apparently, on the Milky way to Amazon. However, it seems that not everyone is excited about the idea of a live-action Mass Effect - including one of BioWare's former writers.
There may not have been a new instalment since Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017. Sure, there was the Mass Effect Legendary Edition, which gave fans the chance to delve into a lovely bit of gaming nostalgia, including the original Commander Shephard herself, but it's not the same.
Still, Mass Effect has been grabbing the headlines and keeping fans a flutter due to the highly-anticipated Mass Effect 4 along with the rumours of an upcoming TV series under development. Yet, former BioWare writer David Gaider was a little sceptical about the idea.
What Did Gaider Say About The Mass Effect TV Series?
Following rumours of a potential Mass Effect TV show, David Gaider took to Twitter to share his thoughts. For those of you who aren't familiar with Gaider's work, the Narrative Designer and Writer has worked for BioWare on two Baulder's Gate games. Not to mention, he was the Lead Writer and creator of the setting for the Dragon Age franchise.
In the thread, Gaider stated: "I'm relieved to see that the Mass Effect/Amazon deal is for a potential TV series and not a movie. Even so, the possibility (and likewise for Dragon Age) makes me cringe just a little, unlike many fans who appear... excited?"
Gaider went on to explain: "For starters, ME and DA have a custom protagonist. Meaning said TV show will need to pick whether said protagonist will be male or female. Boom, right off the bat you've just alienated a whole bunch of the built-in fan base who had their hopes up. Secondly, those protagonists are designed to be a bit of a blank slate, one that the player fills out with their decisions. That's not going to work for a passive medium. So, suddenly, the protagonist will have their own personality... and their own *story*. That will be weird."
Gaider also shared his concerns about the how series would be able to adapt the beloved companions of the games who've become fan favourites: "Think of how MUCH the fanbase is attached to them. Now consider the fact that there is no way in hell any single story could encompass them all equally. Think of the howls of rage when companion X is relegated to a cameo... or not there at all.
"Having a TV show instead of a movie allows for more companion options, sure, but consider your own playthrough: only a handful of them had any meaningful presence in a single game. That will need to be the case for this story, to maintain coherence. A few companions, one romance."
Does Gaider Want A Mass Effect TV Series?
After concluding his argument, Gaider said: "Good luck to the showrunners. They’ll need it." He even later went on to clear up any misunderstandings surrounding his views, stating: "I didn't say I hated the idea of a ME series, incidentally. Just that it faces some big challenges." However, some of the thread readers saw this as Gaider showing a pessimistic view of the idea of Mass Effect show.
One excited fan said: "As someone who plays exclusively femshep, who romances Garrus, I'm still looking forward to this? I'm happy for any new ME content and I think people need to get over the attachment to their own playthroughs. this doesn't erase their game files or own experiences."
Unfortunately, other Mass Effect fans revealed that they shared Gaider's concerns. One claimed: "Some cite The Witcher and Arcane as good examples of shows based videogames. but here's the thing: those games have a fixed cast and story. Geralt is not customizable in the same extent as bioware protags. arcane is based on a moba so obv lore/story barely matters."
Even though the series is yet to be officially confirmed, that hasn't subdued the hype from the Mass Effect fanbase. Especially when a certain Man Of Steel 'teased' his involvement with the project.
