There is reportedly a Mass Effect TV series in the works at Amazon but not everyone is thrilled at the prospect, it seems. Ex-BioWare writer and co-creator/lead writer of the Dragon Age series David Gaider took to Twitter to explain the uphill struggle the Mass Effect Amazon TV show is facing — including how the whole idea “makes me cringe” and how certain elements are “not going to work for a passive medium.”
Mass Effect TV series won’t work according to Dragon Age’s creator
This week it was announced by Deadline that Amazon is “nearing a deal” to develop a TV series based on BioWare’s epic Mass Effect series, which just this year got a re-release in the form of the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. However, ex-BioWare writer David Gaider is less than thrilled at the prospect. Gaider was with the developer from 1999 until 2016 and is the lead writer and co-creator of the whole Dragon Age series, as well as a writer on Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic.
Gaider took to Twitter to share some very harsh words for anyone excited about the Mass Effect Amazon series. While he is “relieved” that it’s not a movie, the writer then goes into detail while it’s still a very bad idea in a large thread. For example, Gaider starts with how just choosing a gender for Shepard will alienate many fans immediately, and how the idea of player choice with Shepard is “not going to work for a passive medium.”
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.
— David Gaider (@davidgaider) November 25, 2021
Gaider also believes that there is “no way in hell” that Mass Effect’s beloved companions could all get significant screentime — if they don’t get removed entirely. Gaider does admit that there are a “number of ways it could be done better” but it comes down to whether Amazon wants a straight adaptation or not. “I guess we’ll see,” he concludes.
And think of those companions. 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.
— David Gaider (@davidgaider) November 25, 2021
The Mass Effect TV series hasn’t been confirmed just yet, although it is possible to estimate the release date. As for BioWare and the games themselves, Mass Effect 5 has been confirmed as in development although it’s probably a long way off, just like the show.
