A documentary film about BioWare is in the works and will release next year, presumably including testimony filmed as the studio was closed a few weeks ago.
Deadline reported this morning that the film titled Massive Effect: The BioWare Story “will document how the Edmonton, Canada-based games company grew from being founded in 1995 by three medical doctors… to selling 100 million copies of its role-playing games” like Mass Effect, Star Wars: Knights of the Old Republic, Dragon Age, and Baldur’s Gate.”
Filming for the documentary began two years ago, giving the film crew access to the studio in its final days, and will likely show inside the studio when word came down that EA was shutting it down and canceling development on Mass Effect: Universe.
“When the production team asked for our blessing to tell the BioWare story, we were honored and deeply moved,” said BioWare co-founders Ray Muzyka and Greg Zeschuk in a statement. “BioWare was never just about the logo or the building. It was about the stories brought to life by the amazing people on our dev teams, and the fans who defended those worlds, championed them and carried them forward. We’re proud this film honors those who made it all possible. The best stories never really end. They live on in our memories and wait for someone to pick them up again.”
Deadline’s report said that the documentary is “being planned for a major film festival run and a world premiere” in 2027, and it’s got a long list of special appearances, including Muzyka and Zeschuk, along with BioWare developers like Casey Hudson, Mark Darrah, David Gaider, Drew Karpyshyn, Aaryn Flynn, Mac Walters, Commander Shepard voice actress Jennifer Hale, and more.
The film is written and directed by Akash Sherman and co-produced by Canada’s Fennessey Films and Score G Productions, which has worked on projects in the past like Funny Money: The Dane Cook Story, Dolph: Unbreakable, and Inmate #1: The Rise of Danny Trejo.
“The BioWare founders are my hometown heroes,” added writer and director Sherman. “It’s a privilege and responsibility to share the journey of underdogs who came together to create deeply beloved storytelling. Their golden era kindled a spark in me and in an entire generation. With the studio’s recent closure, the film is now a profound valediction.”
