Mass Effect is a science fiction series created by Casey Hudson. It shows a future where humans and alien civilizations live in the galaxy, using technology left behind by ancient civilizations.

The series began with video games made by BioWare and first released by Microsoft Game Studios. Later, Electronic Arts took over the series after buying BioWare. Each game is a third-person shooter with role-playing features. The first three games form a trilogy where players control Commander Shepard, a character trying to save the Milky Way galaxy from ancient, sleeping machines called the Reapers. The first game, Mass Effect (2007), follows Shepard’s investigation of Saren Arterius, one of the Reapers’ agents. Mass Effect 2 (2010) takes place two years later and shows Shepard fighting the Collectors, an alien group kidnapping humans to help the Reapers return. The trilogy’s final game, Mass Effect 3 (2012), describes a war between the Reapers and other galactic civilizations. A fourth game, Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017), introduced new settings and characters, and a fifth game is being developed.

The original trilogy was successful and widely praised. Critics liked the story, characters, voice acting, world-building, and how player choices affected the game. The ending of Mass Effect 3 was criticized for being unsatisfying, so Electronic Arts added more scenes to the ending. Mass Effect: Andromeda received mixed reviews. Some praised its graphics and combat, but others criticized technical problems and the story.

The series has sparked discussions about how it portrays same-sex relationships and other sexual identities. It also introduced the dialogue wheel, a tool that lets players choose how characters speak during the game. This feature is now used in many other role-playing games. The success of the video games led to other media, including books, comics, and an animated film.

Setting

The Mass Effect original trilogy is set in the Milky Way galaxy near the end of the 22nd century. In 2148, humans discovered an alien base on Mars and learned that Charon, a moon of Neptune, is actually an ancient alien structure called a "mass relay." This device allows spaceships to travel faster than light to other mass relays across the galaxy. These discoveries helped humans greatly improve their technology.

Humans met many other alien species, some of which were much more advanced. The first meeting led to the First Contact War, but the Council, a group that rules the galaxy, helped stop the fighting and welcomed humans. Important alien species include the asari, a race of beings that look like human women; the salarians, a water-dwelling species with high intelligence and fast metabolism; and the turians, a warlike race of bird-like humanoids who fought humans during the First Contact War.

The Council's main governing place is the Citadel, a massive space station also believed to be built by the Protheans, an ancient race that once led all species but disappeared long ago. Over the next few decades, humans gained access to new technology, which allowed them to settle new planets. They also joined the Citadel Security (C-Sec) forces, a respected role that other species had wanted for a long time, causing some to feel jealous. Many conflicts between species were still ongoing when the first game began.

The first three games follow Commander Shepard, a soldier in Earth's Systems Alliance Navy. After an Earth colony finds a new Prothean artifact, it is attacked by an unknown ship. The Council appoints Shepard as the first human SPECTRE, an elite agent with special authority, to investigate.

Shepard encounters the artifact and sees a vision of war and destruction across the galaxy. They learn that the strange ship is one of many artificial lifeforms called Reapers. Every 50,000 years, the Reapers destroy all advanced life in the Milky Way to allow younger species to grow and avoid endless war, a plan left behind by the Protheans. The Reapers' return in this cycle is being controlled by groups like Cerberus, a human-focused terrorist organization led by the Illusive Man, who believes they can control the Reapers for human benefit. Shepard and their allies discover that the Citadel is crucial to ending the Reapers' cycle and deciding the galaxy's future.

The fourth game takes place in the Heleus Cluster of the Andromeda galaxy, 634 years after the first three games. During the events of the trilogy, the Milky Way species sent ships to Andromeda to build the Nexus, a space base and future colonies. After over 600 years of frozen sleep, they arrive to find the Heleus Cluster in conflict between two native groups: the Kett, a violent race that tries to take traits from other species through a process called "exaltation"; and the Angara, an emotional humanoid species whose civilization was nearly destroyed by the Kett.

The Heleus Cluster also has ruins from the Jardaan, a spacefaring race that used powerful technology to make dangerous planets in the cluster habitable. The Jardaan left the cluster three centuries before the Milky Way species arrived after a long battle with an unknown enemy. A weapon of mass destruction on a Jardaan space station caused a disaster called the Scourge, which damaged their terraforming systems. After the Jardaan left, the Angara, who were genetically created by the Jardaan, began building their own civilization before being attacked by the Kett.

Now that the Milky Way species have arrived, it is up to Pathfinder Ryder (a character the player can customize) and their allies to stop broken terraforming systems, deal with attacks from the Kett and Angara, and make planets safe for future colonists.

Gameplay

The Mass Effect games are action role-playing games. Players can choose how their main character looks, what kind of background they have, and one of six different classes. Each class has one or two special skills in combat, technology, or "biotic" abilities, which are similar to mutant powers in other games. As the character gains experience by completing missions, players can improve their skills through a skill tree. Each game follows a main story with choices that let players take different paths and complete extra missions. These missions often involve using a ship to travel through mass relays to distant star systems and explore planets to find targets.

When exploring planets, players can take up to two crew members with them. These crew members usually act on their own but can follow specific orders from the player. During missions, players can search for information, find new gear or money, talk to non-playable characters, and collect important items. Combat is shown from a third-person view, with players and allies using weapons, tech, and biotic powers, along with tactics, to defeat enemies. There are six weapon types: assault rifles, grenades, sniper rifles, shotguns, pistols, and later, heavy weapons like grenade launchers or flamethrowers. These weapons can be folded for storage, allowing players to carry all five at once and switch between them based on the situation. Melee weapons include fists, the butt of a gun, or later, a special dagger called an Omni-blade.

Through story events and missions, players meet non-playable characters and choose how to respond to them. These choices are shown on a Dialogue Wheel, with options appearing around a circle on the screen. Most choices are simple questions and answers, but some affect how the story progresses. In the first three games, choices influenced the character's morality, labeled as Paragon (good) or Renegade (bad), shown by color and position on the wheel. Later games let players choose during dialogues, which could interrupt action and change story outcomes. These choices could affect story events, alliances, or access to powerful gear. A designer noted that only about 8% of players chose the Renegade path in the first three games. In Andromeda, BioWare replaced the Paragon/Renegade system with a new one based on four ideals: emotional, logical, casual, and professional.

Notable side missions include romantic options with crewmates, such as same-sex and opposite-sex relationships, and inter-species pairings. Players can improve relationships through dialogue, giving gifts, or completing character-specific tasks. Successfully building a relationship often leads to scenes showing a romantic moment, but nothing inappropriate for the game's rating. These options caused controversy when the first game was released, as some media criticized the game's portrayal of relationships.

Games

Mass Effect (2007), the first game in the series, was originally made for the Xbox 360 but was later released for Windows by Demiurge Studios in 2008 and for PlayStation 3 by Edge of Reality in 2012. The game follows Commander Shepard, the main character, as they try to stop a rebel Spectre named Saren Arterius from leading an army of thinking machines called the Geth to take over the galaxy. While chasing Saren, Shepard builds important relationships with other characters, especially their team members, and learns about a bigger danger: the Reapers. Saren has been controlled by a Reaper named Sovereign and is trying to destroy all advanced life in the galaxy, a cycle the Reapers repeat every 50,000 years.

Two extra game content packs, Bring Down The Sky and Pinnacle Station, were released in 2008 and 2009.

Mass Effect 2, the second main game, was released on January 26, 2010, in North America and January 29, 2010, in Europe for Windows and Xbox 360. Before its release, little was known about the game, except that BioWare’s Project Director, Casey Hudson, said players should keep their save files from the first game because choices made in the first game would affect the story in the second. The game takes place two years after the events of Mass Effect. Human colonies are being attacked, and people are disappearing. Shepard must work with a group called Cerberus to find out why. Evidence shows that a mysterious race called the Collectors is behind the attacks, and the Collectors are helping the Reapers. Shepard leads a team on a dangerous mission to stop the Collectors. Mass Effect 2 received high praise for its story, characters, and improved gameplay. A PlayStation 3 version was released on January 18, 2011.

Seven extra game content packs were released in 2010 and 2011, including Normandy Crash Site, Zaeed – The Price of Revenge, Firewalker, Kasumi – Stolen Memory, Overlord, Lair of the Shadow Broker, and Arrival.

Mass Effect 3, the third game in the trilogy, was released on March 6, 2012. Casey Hudson said it would be easier to make because it was the final game in the trilogy. However, choices from the first two games still affect the story in Mass Effect 3. In this game, the Reapers return and attack Earth. Shepard is on Earth during the attack and must escape. After leaving Earth, Shepard must gather allies to fight the Reapers and end a cycle that has repeated for millions of years. The first trailer for the game was shown on December 11, 2010. This was the first game in the series not made with Microsoft Game Studios and was released on the same day for Xbox 360 and PlayStation 3.

Four story-focused extra game content packs were released in 2012 and 2013, including From Ashes, Leviathan, Omega, and Citadel. Five free multiplayer content packs were also released in 2012 and 2013, adding new characters, weapons, maps, and enemies.

Mass Effect: Andromeda, the first game in a new series and the fourth major game overall, was announced at E3 2015 and released on March 21, 2017. It uses DICE’s Frostbite 3 engine and was released for PlayStation 4, Windows, and Xbox One. Unlike previous games, Andromeda has an open world, allowing players to explore freely. The story takes place in the 29th century, and players control either Sara or Scott Ryder, a Pathfinder tasked with exploring the Andromeda Galaxy.

Andromeda did not get single-player expansions, but the multiplayer mode received updates in 2017 with new weapons, characters, and maps.

In 2020, BioWare announced a new Mass Effect game was being developed. A trailer was released in December 2020, showing a return to the original trilogy’s story and featuring Liara T’Soni. The new game will use the Epic Games Unreal Engine, the same engine used in the original trilogy.

In 2022, BioWare shared details about the game’s developers, some of whom worked on the original trilogy. Concept art and an encrypted audio file featuring Liara were also released.

In 2023, a short trailer and poster for the new game were shown online. BioWare’s Project Director, Mike Gamble, confirmed that many original developers had returned to work on the game.

Mass Effect Galaxy is a game set between Mass Effect and Mass Effect 2, available only on iOS. It tells the story of Jacob Taylor and Miranda Lawson, characters who appear in Mass Effect 2. The game was removed from the iOS App Store.

Mass Effect Infiltrator is a third-person shooter available on Android, BlackBerry 10, iOS, and Windows Phone 8. The story follows Randall Ezno, a Cerberus agent who turns against his group. Players help free prisoners and gather evidence against Cerberus. This game was also removed from all app stores.

Mass Effect: Datapad was a free app for iOS devices that let players check the status of the galaxy map in Mass Effect 3 and receive messages from characters. It included information about the game’s universe and mini-games connected to the Galaxy at War system. The app was removed from app stores in 2013.

Other media

Original trilogy tie-in novels published by Del Rey Books:

• Mass Effect: Revelation (2007), by Drew Karpyshyn: This is the first novel based on Mass Effect. It follows Lieutenant David Anderson and explains how he met Saren and began his relationship with Kahlee Sanders. The story also describes how Anderson did not become the first human Spectre.
• Mass Effect: Ascension (2008), by Drew Karpyshyn: This is the second novel. It follows Paul Grayson, a member of Cerberus, who is responsible for training a biotic girl named Gillian. The events take place about two months after the ending of the first game.
• Mass Effect: Retribution (2010), by Drew Karpyshyn: This is the third novel, released on July 27, 2010. It is a sequel to Mass Effect 2 and Mass Effect: Ascension.
• Mass Effect: Deception (2012), by William C. Dietz: This is the fourth novel, focusing on Gillian Grayson. Some fans disliked the book because it had problems with the story and characters. BioWare and Del Rey later said they would make changes in future editions.

Mass Effect: Andromeda tie-in novels published by Titan Books:

• Mass Effect: Nexus Uprising (2017), by Jason M. Hough and K. C. Alexander: This is the first novel in a trilogy that takes place at the same time as the Mass Effect: Andromeda game.
• Mass Effect: Initiation (2017), by N. K. Jemisin and Mac Walters: This is the second novel in the Mass Effect: Andromeda trilogy.
• Mass Effect: Annihilation (2018), by Catherynne M. Valente: This is the third and final novel in the Mass Effect: Andromeda trilogy.

Art books published by Prima Games and Dark Horse Comics:

• Art of Mass Effect (2007), published by Prima Games: This book shows design sketches and concept art from the original Mass Effect game.
• The Art of the Mass Effect Universe (2012), published by Dark Horse Comics: This book includes art, sketches, and paintings from all three games in the trilogy, including some from the first book.
• The Art of Mass Effect: Andromeda (2017), published by Dark Horse Comics: This book features art and sketches from Mass Effect: Andromeda.
• The Art of the Mass Effect Trilogy: Expanded Edition (2021), published by Dark Horse Comics: This is a revised version of The Art of the Mass Effect Universe with over 90 additional pages of artwork focused on downloadable content and Mass Effect 3’s multiplayer mode.

Comic books published by Dark Horse Comics:

• Mass Effect: Redemption: A four-part comic mini-series released between January and April 2010. It follows Liara T'Soni during the time between the prologue and main story of Mass Effect 2. The story connects to the downloadable content "Lair of the Shadow Broker."
• Mass Effect: Incursion: An 8-page online comic released on June 21, 2010, through IGN. It follows Aria T'Loak’s encounter with the Collectors one week before the events of Mass Effect 2. It links to Mass Effect: Redemption.
• Mass Effect: Inquisition: An 8-page online comic written by Mac Walters. It takes place after Mass Effect 2 and follows Captain Armando-Owen Bailey as he investigates corruption within C-Sec. It was released on October 26, 2010, through USA Today.
• Mass Effect: Evolution: A four-part comic mini-series. The first issue was released in January 2011. It focuses on the origin of the Illusive Man during the First Contact War, shortly after the discovery of the Mass Relays.
• Mass Effect: Conviction: A 10-page free comic written by Mac Walters. It takes place before Mass Effect 3 and follows Lieutenant James Vega during his time on Omega. It was released in September 2011 through digital distribution.
• Mass Effect: Invasion: A four-issue comic series released between October 2011 and January 2012. It follows Aria T'Loak as her space station, Omega, is attacked by a new threat from Cerberus.
• Mass Effect: Homeworlds: A four-issue comic series written by Mac Walters, released on April 25, 2012. Each issue focuses on a main character from the Mass Effect series.
• Mass Effect: Blasto: Eternity Is Forever: A 14-page comic written by Mac Walters, released on November 7, 2012, through digital distribution. It follows Blasto, a Hanar Spectre.
• Mass Effect: He Who Laughs Best: A 10-page comic written by Mac Walters, released on May 4, 2013, for Free Comic Book Day 2013. It explains how Jeff "Joker" Moreau became the pilot of the SSV Normandy.
• Mass Effect: Foundation: A 13-issue comic series written by Mac Walters. The first issue was released on July 24, 2013. It tells a story that runs parallel to the game trilogy and expands the universe.
• Mass Effect: Discovery: A four-issue comic series written by Jeremy Barlow, released in 2017. Each issue focuses on the Andromeda Initiative.

Anime and film adaptations:

• Mass Effect: Paragon Lost (2012): On April 7, 2011, EA announced an anime film adaptation by Funimation Entertainment and T.O. Entertainment. The film was released on December 28, 2012. It is a prequel to Mass Effect 3 and follows Alliance Marine James Vega as he leads a Special Forces squad against the Collectors during the events of Mass Effect 2.
• Mass Effect film: In May 2010, EA announced that Legendary Pictures and Warner Bros. acquired the rights to a Mass Effect film. Casey Hudson and others from BioWare were to serve as executive producers. The film was planned to follow the original game’s story, but the project did not progress beyond planning due to challenges. In 2021, BioWare’s Mac Walters stated the film never moved forward.

Television adaptation:

On November 23, 2021, Deadline Hollywood reported that Amazon Prime Video was negotiating to adapt the Mass Effect franchise. In November 2024, Amazon officially announced the series was in development, produced by Karim Zreik’s Cedar Tree Productions and others. Daniel Casey was to write and produce

Development and history

Mass Effect began as a 2003 idea by BioWare project director Casey Hudson, who shared it with the company’s co-founders, Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk. Hudson wanted BioWare to create its own science fiction story that could match the size and detail of the Star Wars universe. On October 11, 2007, just before the release of the first Mass Effect game for the Xbox 360 in November 2007, it was announced that EA purchased VG Holding Corp., a partnership between BioWare and Pandemic Studios formed in November 2005. EA also acquired the Mass Effect intellectual property, and BioWare continued to develop the series.

The technology in the Mass Effect series is based on the theory of dark energy, a type of energy believed to cause the universe’s expansion and possibly enable faster-than-light (FTL) travel. In the game’s world, a fictional material called Element Zero, or "eezo," is used to create "mass effect" fields. When a strong electric current is applied to eezo using dark energy, it can increase or decrease the mass of objects. A positive current raises mass and creates artificial gravity, while a negative current lowers mass and reduces fuel use for FTL travel. The stronger the current, the more powerful the effect. Other real-world scientific ideas explored in the series include 3D printing for the omni-tool, hard light technology, and hypervelocity weapons. Hudson said that real-life discoveries often inspire creative ideas, and he believed that "reality will continue to be stranger than fiction," which supports the creative choices made by the developers.

Morality in the first three Mass Effect games is measured using "Paragon" and "Renegade" points, a system inspired by the light and dark side of the Force from the 2003 game Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic. A spin-off game titled Mass Effect: Corsair for the Nintendo DS was planned in 2008. It would have been similar to Star Control and featured a space pirate character played from a first-person perspective. However, the project was canceled due to high costs for Nintendo DS cartridges and low sales expectations. Resources were instead used to develop Mass Effect 2. A former BioWare employee noted that Corsair could have expanded the Mass Effect universe by exploring morally complex characters. For Mass Effect: Andromeda in 2017, the Paragon and Renegade system was removed entirely.

In 2007, BioWare filed a patent for the Dialogue Wheel, a "graphical interface for interactive dialog." The patent was granted to EA International Studio and Publishing Ltd. in 2011.

The Mass Effect universe draws inspiration from other science fiction works, including Star Trek, Blade Runner, Firefly, and Battlestar Galactica. Other influences include Alien, Starship Troopers, Dune, and Final Fantasy: The Spirits Within. Video games like Deus Ex, Halo, and Starflight also shaped the series’ gameplay.

Greek mythology appears in the series through names and themes, such as the planet Elysium and the group Cerberus, as well as story arcs involving the Protheans, an ancient civilization.

The music in the series is similar to the vintage synthesizer score of Blade Runner, creating a mood that reflects the wonder and fear of space. Jack Wall, the composer for the first two games, used electronic sounds from the 1970s and 1980s mixed with organic elements. Later games, like those composed by Clint Mansell, adopted a more cinematic, orchestral style while keeping some of Wall’s earlier work.

Reception

The original Mass Effect trilogy received high praise from critics on all platforms, according to the review website Metacritic. Each of the three games received many nominations and awards from video game publications and major award events. The first two games in the series are often called one of the best games ever made. Mass Effect 2, in particular, was the most praised game in the series and won many awards for "Game of the Year" after its release. It earned over 70 perfect scores from critics. In 2013, IGN ranked the Mass Effect Trilogy as the best Xbox 360 game among 25 choices and the 7th best PlayStation 3 game among 25 choices.

The fourth game, Mass Effect: Andromeda, received less positive reviews from critics. Most critics agreed that it was not as good as the earlier games in the series, though some praised the improved combat system.

The Mass Effect series was very successful in sales. The first game sold more than one million copies worldwide in less than three weeks after its release. Sales reached 1.6 million copies by January 2008, six weeks after launch. The second game, Mass Effect 2, sold over two million copies to stores in its first week. It sold more than 500,000 copies in its first month of release, even though it came out near the end of the month. Before the third game was released, the series had sold a total of 7 million copies worldwide. Mass Effect 3 was the most successful game in the series commercially. It sold over 800,000 copies in its first 24 hours, and its first month of sales was twice as much as the second game's. It sold over 900,000 copies on the Xbox 360 version, which outsold the PlayStation 3 version by a ratio of 4 to 1, and earned over $200 million in revenue. By April 2012, it had sold more than twice as many copies as Mass Effect 2 in their respective launch months and had sold over six million copies in total. By July 5, 2014, the entire Mass Effect series had sold 14 million copies worldwide.

Mass Effect: Andromeda continued the series' sales success. By May 2017, an analyst reported that at least 2.5 million retail copies of Mass Effect: Andromeda had been shipped, generating $110 million in revenue. In March 2017, $53 million in net sales from digital and special editions of Andromeda were recorded but were reported later.

Legacy and cultural impact

Tauriq Moosa from The Guardian praised the Mass Effect franchise as one of the best science fiction stories ever created. He said the main theme of "aspiration and connection in a universe that doesn't care about humans" is as smart as Star Trek, as hopeful as Asimov, and as dramatic as Battlestar Galactica. Jessi Sampson from PCGamesN agreed, calling Mass Effect an "impressive mix of ideas" from famous science fiction works. She said the first game and its creators influenced the video game industry and left a lasting legacy. Jonathan Wood from Wired said the first Mass Effect set a high standard for storytelling in video games, unmatched by most games of its time. Benjamin Bullard from Syfy noted that when the first game was released, science fiction video games mostly focused on conflict and violence between aliens and humans. Since then, the Mass Effect series has grown from a small role-playing game into a major, popular game series.

In 2010, GamesRadar called Mass Effect the best new game series of the (then seventh) generation. They said the galaxy setting was so well-made that it felt like a long-established series and showed how well video games can tell stories. Colin Moriarty said the Mass Effect series is one of the most important game series of the seventh generation. Kyle Munkittrick from Gizmodo argued that Mass Effect is the most important science fiction universe of the current generation. Patrick Carlson from PC Gamer called Mass Effect one of the greatest science fiction stories across all forms of media. He said the series combines the best parts of classic space stories with an adventure-style game format that allows players to face both fun and serious challenges. Cian Maher from TheGamer said the series' detailed descriptions of the universe, called codex entries, helped create one of the most interesting worlds in video game history.

N7 Day is a yearly event celebrated on November 7 by BioWare, Electronic Arts, and fans of Mass Effect. It started as a marketing idea by BioWare in 2012 to honor the Mass Effect series. "N7" is the in-universe code for Commander Shepard's military rank. The "N" stands for special forces, and the "7" represents Shepard's high rank.

The Mass Effect series has inspired many fan-made works:

• Mass Effect: Assignment (2012) is a fan film set in the same timeline as the games. It follows two N7 soldiers, Meer and Hale, who hunt a smuggler named Defoe. The film was made by Sneaky Zebra and was the first fan film in the Mass Effect universe. It allows viewers to choose the story's path and has four possible endings. Three short previews were released in December 2012, and the full film came out in February 2012.

• Red Sand (2012) is a fan film that takes place 35 years before the games. It tells the story of ancient Prothean ruins on Mars. The film stars Mark Meer, the voice of the male version of Commander Shepard, as Colonel Jon Grissom. It was made by students and teachers at the University of Advancing Technology in Arizona.

• Mass Effect: Pick Your Path (2012) is an interactive story written by Mike Kayatta. It follows a merchant who follows Commander Shepard across the galaxy. The story, similar to "Choose Your Own Adventure" books, lets readers choose between "paragon" or "renegade" actions, which change the ending and even allow romance with new characters. It was published by The Escapist in March 2012.

The Mass Effect series has faced several major controversies. A scene in the first game showing partial nudity and sexual activity was called inappropriate by some media outlets in 2007. A version of the scene showing a romantic moment between Liara T'Soni and a female Shepard led to government scrutiny and a temporary ban in Singapore. This caused BioWare to remove planned same-sex romantic content from Mass Effect 2.

Although Mass Effect 3 received praise, its ending caused controversy. Many players disliked the ending and organized online campaigns to demand a better one. The U.S. Federal Trade Commission and the British Advertising Standards Authority received complaints that BioWare misled players about the ending. BioWare later released an "extended cut" patch to add more content to the ending. They also faced criticism for how they handled the release of the Mass Effect 3: From Ashes DLC and for possible conflicts of interest involving Jessica Chobot, a video game personality who worked on Mass Effect 3.

Other controversies include public anger over claims that the series' violent combat was linked to the Sandy Hook Elementary School shooter, which was later proven false. A video using assets from Mass Effect 2 to support Donald Trump's 2016 campaign was removed after copyright issues. There were also reactions to how the series portrayed women and sexual minorities.