Despite BioWare alleging that N7 Day would be quiet on news this year (per a tweet from the studio), fans have been satiated with the reveal that a live-action Mass Effect TV series has been given the green light, and is now in development at Amazon.
According to Variety, Fast and the Furious 9 alum Daniel Casey is set to write and executive produce the project, alongside Karim Zreik, Ari Arad and Michael Gamble as co-executive producers. Plot details are firmly under wraps, and there isn’t a huge amount of connection we can draw between the high octane car world and the struggles of a human soldier in the 22nd century, but on paper it seems the series is in reasonably safe hands.
The reveal came as part of N7 Day – the fandom’s own ‘May the 4th’ equivalent – which takes place on November 7th (US time) each year, and celebrates what makes the Mass Effect games so beloved. In addition to sharing community spirit, the day often features news and information for upcoming games, merch, and more.
With the recent release of Dragon Age: The Veilguard, fan expectations were reasonably tempered for the day. Given the other reveals included a Mass Effect inspired outfit for your Dragon Age: The Veilguard character and some assorted merchandise, the news of the show is easily the most exciting announcement.
Read: Dragon Age: The Veilguard review – Worth the decade of longing
Will the Mass Effect show be the next big video game adaptation?
This is not the first time that a live-action Mass Effect series has been floated by Amazon – with an ill-fated set of rumours suggesting it was in talks around 2021 – but it certainly seems like the ball is firmly in motion now.
Given the recent successes of video game adaptations like The Last Of Us and Fallout (each of which having dominated ratings and social media discussion), it’s little wonder that we’re beginning to see a lot more of our favourite narrative-driven games get their time on the silver screen.
On a personal note, as a longtime fan of Mass Effect (and the daughter of a real devotee), I’m cautiously optimistic to see how it gets handled in a live-action context. Will it follow the storyline of the games? Will we see cameos from any of the main characters? Will Garrus be around for me to gaze adoringly at? Who’s to say.
In the meantime, we can always replay the games, give the Mass Effect board game a red hot crack, and continue to build anticipation for Mass Effect 5, which (while still a long way off, they’re in the middle of calibrations) may help slake the thirst for new stories.
