Why Mass Effect Should Be the Next Game of Thrones
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- Опубликовано: 8 июн 2024
- In this video we explain why Mass Effect has the potential to be "the next Game of Thrones" and pitch our vision for a Mass Effect TV show adaptation.
Video written, directed, and edited by Michael Tucker & Alex Calleros.
Listen to our podcast episode where we discuss Mass Effect with Mark Brown of @GMTK: bit.ly/3baUZ38
Watch our @StoryModeOn video on the dynamic storytelling of Mass Effect 3's "Cure the Genophage" mission: bit.ly/3zdQvTH
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Timecode
00:00 Intro
03:03 Game of Thrones
09:23 Mass Effect
Concept art from The Art of Mass Effect by Fernando Bueno
Thanks to @AltShiftX for sharing some Game of Thrones headshots :)
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If you’re as excited about this idea as we are, please like the video and share with as many people as you can!
📺 Watch our video on the dynamic storytelling of Mass Effect 3's "Cure the Genophage" mission: bit.ly/3zdQvTH
🎧 Listen to our podcast episode on Mass Effect with Mark Brown of Game Maker's Toolkit: bit.ly/3baUZ38
I think it could be an awesome animated show! Like Futurama, but serious! The animation would definitevely mande things cheaper and more individual, there is a lot of live-actions out there! But an animated adult action series!? Thais couro be awesome
Can you please do a walk through of all your amazing Notion templates for writing?!?!? The tease at the beginning of the video was too much for me
I always appreciate your video game analysis, more in-depth and thoughtful recognition for an ever-growing medium from an amazing channel like yours.
I, ah, don’t suppose there’s any way to peruse your in-progress pitch notes, is there?
Cos the little you did show was super interesting, and I’d love to see how you’re dividing all the missions and character beats into episodes and arcs and seasons
3 things, but I overall ADORE your guy's spunk.
1: Please don't pull a GoT Season 8
2: If you need a writer, donut boy, etc. Where Do I Sign Up? PLEASE?
3: I expect at least 1 calibration joke...for the fans. 👀
Will there be a bottle episode set in a Citadel elevator?
This is genius. Yes.
Ha!
The elevator loading times🤣
"So...anyone want to talk about their people's history?"
"Nope."
"So I'm the only one who misses when we used to chat in the elevators back on the citadel?"
"Yep."
"So disappointed."
That would be the Party episode before the final battle begins.
There has never been a better time for a Mass Effect series. The Expanse has shown that high budget, politically nuanced Sci-Fi that looks amazing and tells a complex story, is totally possible. The Witcher has shown that video games (I know they were books but the games popularised it) CAN be be popular with non-gamers in other forms of media. GOT has shown that a show set in a massive alternative world with centuries of backstory and lore IS translatable to screen.
This is the moment and the time is now.
I was thinking about that too... The Expanse shows that we can have all of that in a popular show. And that is just what I would want for a Mass Effect show. There is so much world building to explore and so much story to tell and I would pay good money to see it
The Expanse got canceled twice. The Expanse was a solid show, except for the last season, but the market isn't there.
I think the biggest cost difference would be the shit ton of non-human looking aliens that WILL require makeup, prostetics and CGI.
@@BoneistJ It was brought back once by Amazon after a massive fan campaign. Plus if you know where the story is going to go from the books- It makes perfect sense to stop the current run by next season.
@@BoneistJ
The opposite of what you're arguing is true. Its not that it got cancelled twice, and btw it wasn't twice. It got resurected because it was that beloved. It was only cancelled once because syfy mishandled it's release and distribution. They had to cancel because of their own problems, not the shows. On Amazon prime it's being given a proper end with the people behind it being cryptic about potential opportunities to tell the story of the last 3 books.
Congratulations on getting hired by Bioware. I really believe you guys truly understand the essence of Mass Effect at its core and it's reassuring.
They were hired by BioWare?
@@joker6558 Yep it's why he hasn't posted on this channel in so long, he got hired to work with the story team on the next Mass Effect game though not a show.
@@debodatta7398 Whaaaaaaa?! Ok I’m excited now
Well I'm not down him immediately choosing to make Shep female for TV.. like every main character in all media for the past ~8 years. Gives me pause on what other modern day social bias he's gonna inject into the most amazing game trilogy ever. Fingers crossed but get ready for analogies to Trumpism and trans stuff in a scifi about reapers.
@@_AutoCoder That's a strange leap in logic.
What i honestly hope for out of this show more then anything is too see the characters I love have more fleshed out relationships with each other rather then just with shepherd.
💯
Yes!
For the romance aspect, I would do something like this: play out the scenes of i.e. the Garrus romance in the same way as the game but with Tali instead of Shepard, and do the same with all the other good fan favorite romances that would get left out. My personal pick would be Femshep and Liara as the main romance, since Liara is one of the highest picked romance options and a really good one that gets fleshed out from the first game and Liara and Shep's relationship goes through a lot of ups and downs so it would make for good drama lol
The opening scene of Mass Effect 2 would make one hell of a season finale cliffhanger.
I mean it would, but narratively it would belong at the start of a season like in the game
I agree with you .... but maybe season #2
was thinking the Kaiden vs Ashley choice would be a great season 1 ending
I think first season should end on virmire
Yeah and then the main character would be arbitrarily brought back to life once and never again and television audiences would be like “????”. I love how successful Heroes was, killing people and bringing them back. People love that.
The coldest open in media history.
"Welcome to the Sequel! You're fucking obliterated."
I can see it now
"The Tales and Exploits of Conrad Verner"
Episode 1: In Which Conrad Asks Commander Shepard For An Autograph
Episode 2: In Which Conrad Gets A Selfie With Commander Shepard
Episode 3: In Which Conrad Gets A Gun Shoved In His Face
Episode 4: In Which Conrad Becomes Truly Extreme
@@KeithFraser82 plot twist of episode #4:
Commander Shepard shoots at Conrad's foot
Conrad: Ah hahaaa, I can't believe you did that!
Shepard: It was a blank Conrad... you're fine.
Conrad: What, really?! Huh
Shepard: How do you expect to survive "undercover", if you can't take a simple bullet scare.
Makes a good roll reverse when they meet again on the Citidel 😎
Oh God, I can imagine a whole episode centered around Conrad telling a story in a bar about how he and Commander Shepard saved some colonists in a dire situation :P
@@Artem2034 And in Conrad's "flashback", he's played by a different actor or just looks much more dashing/rugged, Shepard has exaggerated makeup and fawns over him (as do a bunch of other characters), he shoots dozens of bad guys like Chuck Norris, etc. That can be the first part of the episode, then Shepard comes in and tells the story of what really happened.
Stunt casting: have Conrad be played by Joey Batey (Jaskier from The Witcher).
Michael, I just saw the news of you working on the next Mass Effect. Congratulations! I wish you an amazing experience, and that this opens even more doors for you.
Watching this after reading your recent tweet. Dude, to say that you're making me excited is an understatement.
GOD I AM SO HERE FOR THIS.
Mass Effect fan huh?
why? you want a Halo tv show? The porn parody of Halo?
I'm Commander Sheppard and chaos is my favorite ladder on the Citadel.
Tbf, chaos turned Shepard from some special forces guy into most famous human in the galaxy.
The "Citadel"... Do you know what the Citadel is? It's the home of the Council whom we tell about the Reapers over and over until they dismiss that claim.
@@gh0st_proxy "Look, there's a Reaper here to tell you they exist!" REAPER, at 350 decibels: "I EXIST, CITADEL COUNCIL. I AM A REAPER, HERE TO EXTERMINATE BIOLOGICAL LIFE, AS WE DO EVERY SO OFTEN. SHEPHARD IS RIGHT." Council: "Well, it would say that, wouldn't it? I'm not falling for propaganda from a damn Reaper!"
I'm Cmdr Shepard and this is my favorite comment on the Citadel.
Little finger reference?
Nihlus is a great Spectre, i think Sean Bean could be best actor to play him
Hackett Out.
My dream is to see Admiral Hackett being portrayed by Michael Ironside.
Given he would probably die in episode 1. I'd have to agree 😆
Lmaoo
Don’t do Sean Bean like that…
Is this a spoiler?
"Mass Effect should be the Next Game of Thrones"
You mean well-written story with great characters, both hated and loved, that get killed off in gut-wrenching scenes and having an ending pretty much everyone hated with a passion? Pretty sure it already is.
Disagree wholly
The ending was fine.
In Mass Effect that is.
If we’re talking the original ending then for sure but I think it gets a bit better with extended edition and leviathan. Still not great but way better than the clusterfuck that was GOT S8
Hard agree. All that beautiful setup just to have the color trifecta ending was disappointing as hell.
@@devilsadvocate22289 Whatever anyone may think about "Subverse," that color-coded-ending jab from the kickstarter advert was PERFECT.
How come I can't like this a hundred times!? This story absolutely needs to be told in long form, there's absolutely too much subtlety for a movie. Even a trilogy of three hour movies would be tough to get right.
Thanks Erik! Agreed! The problem with even a trilogy is that each one needs to have a three-act structure and satisfy all the movie requirements, which despite a longer run time would still constrain the kind of storytelling that could be done.
Not to mention that's only 9hrs, or one season of GoT
Harry Potter had 8 movies. Mas Effect must have at least 6.
Yes!
Mass Effect is so well written "filler" episodes could be added in and provide great comic relief, bonding, etc.
The games are just That deep.
I still need to finish the 3rd though...
@@dropkickpherby6994 Shep talking to Zabaleta on the Citadel about his PTSD could be included in one of these filler episodes and that has the potential to be an amazing character moment. Filler episodes would be great in this.
One of the most interesting and potentially controversial aspects of making mass effect into a series would be the character deaths. In the game they aren't static. In the show even fans wouldn't be sure, going into the climactic scenarios, who was going to die.
I almost forgot about this, in the games especially in ME2 you can lose your entire crew in the suicide mission, or don't lose anyone at all, how they would make this work in a tv series? Popularity of the characters? You can't lose someone like Tali or Garrus in that mssion, they are way to important on the plot (Tali) or to popular (Garrus) to be cut short... Jacob is an obvious choice, because nobody likes him, Ash or Kaidan, aren't in that mission, but they were on Virmire, again, if it is the female Shepard, that means Ash would die on Virmire, but Kaidan is boring, Ash is way more cool than him, but i don't think they should kill either one.
Theres also Wrex, would he die by Ash / Shepard hands on Virmire? Would he be spared?
I would like to add the fact that every shepard is unique, I could prefer the paragon-male Shepard, but what if The show goes for a renegade-female Shepard??
In that regard I would play it safe: male shepard with 70% paragon and 30% renegade choices, like the ones of killing the council, or reacting with R2 to counter kill Kai Leng and that sort of things.
And making the "canon" choices: save ashley, kill Kaidan and rescueing almost every team mate in Me2 with some slight twists exceptions (I would kill Kasumi and Zaeed in ME 2), so we can suffer the death of Mordin and Legion in 3.
I would include some easter eggs, like punching Khalisah Al Jilani (the reporter) and intimidating Conrad Verner.
@@infoluminux Hahhaha forget the punching reporter, unless is the female Shepard they WOULDN'T EVER let that go to the screen!
@@efxnews4776 Character deaths can really enhance a story provided they’re justified and lead to interesting developments. For example, (and this will be very controversial) having Wrex die in Mass Effect 1 actually gives the story in the remaining games much more depth. Throughout Mass Effect 3 you have to deal with his dick brother Wreav, whose leadership of the Krogan makes the decision to sabotage the Genophage cure an actual considerable option. Meanwhile, everyone keeps reminding you how good and easy it would’ve been if Wrex were still alive, but alas. Now we just have to hope Eve can be a regulating influence on him.
It’s pretty cool to approach the Mass Effect games with the mindset of a showrunner trying to write interesting character arcs and plot twists, rather than as Shepard trying to make all the right choices. One of my favourite character arcs is to have Ashley shoot Wrex on Virmire while Shepard tries to talk him down. Come the attack on the Citadel in ME3, however, Ashley finds herself in the same position as Wrex, being talked down by Shepard. Does she redeem herself and avoid the same mistake Wrex made? Or does she get gunned down by Garrus in a moment of karmic justice?
@@TheRybka30 yeah...
Someone give these men money now! I want this TV series!
Very cool now since Michael is involved with working on the new Mass Effect game
No one talks about how INSANELY good the first two hours of Mass Effect are. They establish setting, conventions, emotional stakes, central conflict, and the skinny on near every alien race by the time you finish with the Council. So good!
Best Story-ME1 Best Characters ME2(because it brings back OG's), Best Gameplay-ME3.
@IntrepidTit Actual gameplay is bigger than just the combat.
@IntrepidTit they didn’t have a lot of experience doing that, they traditionally developed CRPGS which are extremely tactical. You can even see that in ME1 - it’s basically a KOTOR game without lightsabers. And even then, by game 3 they still had a heavy tactical pause element in combat. Andromeda, for all its faults, has one thing right - they finally nailed on creating an engaging third person combat. But it took them 10 years to get there, which is completely normal - each studio has their specialty.
@IntrepidTit because then they'd get sued for copyright infringement? in order to 'copy the basic mechanics' of COD they'd need to literally copy the code.
further: maybe they didn't want *make* the game feel like COD or some generic shooter. they had a specific vision in mind that they wanted to go with.
even further: you gotta consider control schemes. specifically: there's an entire layer of extra options you have in ME that you don't in cod, your teammates. and your powers. trying to integrate normal shooter mechanics could very easily clash with those, just in terms of the buttons you need to press.
@@TheWefikus I enjoyed the combat in Andromeda, but I would say that I really missed the pause menu at times. Being limited to just three abilities at any given point, was really frustrating. It severely limited your combo abilities and you couldn't issue commands to your squadmates, which begs the question of why you have a squad to begin with. If you can't have access to their abilities. I would be happy with the Andromeda combat, if they reintroduced the pause menu for people who want to be a little more tactical, they can make it optional. The combat in Andromeda became stale as you reused the same three abilities over and over again. Switching profiles resets your cooldown timers which was just frustrating as well. Just my two cents.
Hollywood really needs to stop making 10+ hours-long stories into a standard movie length. That's what they do every time they make a movie based off a video game and they've all just been terrible! You guys have the right idea. I would throw all my money at you for a Mass Effect tv series. You clearly know what it's all about.
Not knowing what will happen next or more specifically how it'll end was one of the best things about game of thrones. Mass effect cant have that because the major story (the sheperd trilogy) is already finished and a lot of the audience already knows whats going to happen. It also has the same problem of a hated ending.
@@lastword8783 but game of thrones was a bool series first so some people did know what was going to happen, same thing with their mass effect series.
@@jmo5755 game of thrones was still ongoing when the series came out. The show got ahead of the books many years later and it went downhill when it did. While some people knew what was going to happen, the big questions were still unanswered in the books. It was also going from a literary medium to a visual one while mass effect would be going from visual to visual.
@@lastword8783 the problem with the ending in Mass Effect was a technical one, is related with the nature of the game that is mostly about choices, story wise the ending was expected: evil race of lovecraftian machines erased, galaxy saved, ultimate hero sacrifice (?).
It is an expected ending, and to be honest, to me in terms of GAMING the ending that makes more sense, is the secret one that is basicaly Shepard raising the middle finger to the catalyst (symbolic gesture to Bioware) by shooting him.
I could see this ending making more sense like, the ending of the cycle be inevitable, and a 4th game become a race of survival in a post apocalypitic galaxy
In terms of gameplay, this makes more sense than Andromeda, wich, beside being completly unwanted, is actually pointless, because canonicaly Shepard save the galaxy.
Yes, the ending of the trilogy would be grim, but that would open a room for a decent sequel, in wich Shepard didn't die, and instead of fighting the Reapers, gather as many survivors in a desperate plan to outmanuever the reapers and avoid extinction of the species (the protheans also try that, and despite their whole species didn't survive, one of them did, Javik), you can even follow along with the Andromeda initiative, and use the Arks as means to escape the galaxy in a eventual 5th game.
One theme that could go along is the theory that Shepard was indocrinated, but his squadmates search for the means to cure his mind.
One thing that must be relevated in this scenario, is that the Reaper solution to deal with organics is failing, folks like the Asari may have the means to overcome indocrination with their melding abilities, and could be able to heal Shepards mind (or any organic).
This may come as a surprise ending for a tv show, and one surprise to expand the series in a different direction.
I can totally follow along with some sort of Space Mad Max:Fury Road, with pirates running amok, with the species fighting desperatly trying to survive as much as they could and with a handfull of people making plans to evacuate the galaxy (but NOT SOONER than needed, like in Andromeda).
I really hope you guys get the chance to make this into a show. Good luck on Mass Effect 4! I can't wait to see what you have in store for us
The way you synced the Andromeda theme with your conclusion was inspired.
For what it's worth, I support this idea with my entire nerdy being.
I know nothing about mass effect but I’m sold. This was an excellent pitch. Best of luck shopping this around-I would totally watch this!!!
Thanks Michael! :)
Check it out! It's a great game for non-gamers and they recently released a remastered update of all three games in the trilogy
All three games are together in one package now.
Think of a modern Star Trek with mix of survival horror, entertaining characters, well written lore and action set pieces
If you have time, go to Steam and Get the Mass Effect Legendary Edition. It's worth the price, the time and the choices you make in the game.
I always thought a Mass Effect show would be too expensive to make, but looking at shows like Stargate SG1, Andromeda, Battlestar Galactica, The Expanse, Farscape, and so many more, it could 100% be made these days and look good.
Babylon 5 is literally Mass Effect
it was on in the 90’s and written by J Michael Stravinsky who went on to write a few marvel movies
Apple TV is coming out with Foundation later this year. That looks like a big budget sci fi series too. So yeah it seems Mass Effect is possible.
I agree with you, there is 3 human caracter on the normandy (not counting the crew) and that would require a lot of convincing CGI or makeup, it is totally doable, but require a busload of money. That would require convincing major studio: HBO please! (netfils maybe?). they should first have a household name attached to the project behind or in front of the camera.
I got so many chills towards the end of this video. I also got a bit emotional because It showed me other people out there care about the idea of Mass Effect becoming an expansive series which dives into the lore and story the writers created in the first place. I hope one day I can sit down and watch a Mass Effect series exactly as you described.
recently bought and played it for the first time and my first thoughts were "why isn't this a TV show? They have so many different directions they could go within the mass effect universe"
Yeah, you could honestly make an anthology of hour long episodes about ME lore and have material for 10 seasons.
@@Squeekysquid I think it should start with Shepard, but then we could have spin-offs series, anthologies, mini-series, or movies about those events. There's so much to work with from Mass Effect it's ridiculous!
@@concernedcitizen6313 I don't think it should start with Shep, for one reason: there are so many different ways that we all view Shepard as a character that it would inevitably cause a lot of division among fans.
I think it would be safer to go with a story that doesn't involve Shepard or even Ryder because that way if they write the character in a way that we don't associate with either of them it won't be a problem.
I pray the writing gods smile on you and you’re brought in atleast should someone else look into this project. You deserve it
That is problem with movie world - “spaceships goes pew pew” is what spins heads of producers.
On the side of tv shows there are either need to check “boxes” or cant get grip on themes.
And let hope, it's won't be a SJW Mass Effect ...
Your sentence makes no sense
@@117MasterSpartan and you liked your own comment.
@@CYMotorsport i liked the comment not him lmao
*NEVER HAVE HAVE I BEEN SO ON BOARD FOR A VIDEO PURELY BASED OFF THE TITLE*
I had to wipe my eyes I thought I was seeing things
I don't even need to watch this to agree
After watching this, I'm trying to sign their pitch but I can't find my omni-pen...it's that good.
So this is what got you hired... Great video!
There's not many people I would trust with my favourite media franchise, but I think you guys nailed it. It is so obvious that you guys completely understand what Mass Effect stands for and how it could be translated to the small screen. This touched me to my core, I'm actually crying.
So glad to be able to share the love i have for this franchise with other people.
Wow, thank you so much! Mass Effect truly is special, there's a reason the story is so moving and has brought together this awesome community.
@@LessonsfromtheScreenplay absolutely!!!! going back to play all 3 games in my down time feels similar to returning to one of my favorite TV shows (GoT, The Wire, Breaking Bad, Better Call Saul, etc.) and just binging it through. A great series mean you fall into it, you disappear into it. you imagine certain storylines from within the world, or the memories your favorite characters might harbor, having become the personalities they are... a great show, is a great world... you develop that world right, you've got an entire audience hooked.
I came across this video just now, after news of Amazon being in negotiations about a potential ME series. I too welled up a bit when I saw that they understood it so well and approached it with so much love. Also, all the memories hitting me when seeing snippets of the games.
Alright so when does it start shooting? Why aren't studios throwing money on the screen for this? ❤️
Congratulations Micheal for officially becoming part of the Bioware team developing the next Mass Effect! I am really excited to see what you'll be able to contribute to the upcoming game and the return of Mass Effect!
It’s also a chance to improve certain characters who weren’t as popular with some fans. Like Kaiden and Jacob.
All of the reasons why Mass Effect would make a great TV show is exactly the reasons why The Expanse IS a great TV show. Highly recommended!
The Expanse shows that these kind of stories can work, be succesful, and we now have the technology to make them look amazing. A Mass Effect show would require a significantly larger budget for sure, but The Expanse definitely works as a proof of concept and I'm sure is just the start of boundary pushing tv sci-fi
This is honestly terrific. Congrats on putting together such a convincing pitch!
Thanks Spenser! :)
And now you are working for BioWare, let's go!
Congrats on the Mass Effect position! I’ve loved your series for so long now and I am genuinely excited to see where the next game goes with your influence (for how big or small that may be) Either way, your fans have faith in you :D
Wait did he get hired on the next Mass Effect game??
@@jonathonhollis7080 yiss
Me: "Mass Effect is an amazing story as a game series. Not everything has to be adapted to film".
Lessons from the Screenplay: "We're thinking Emily Blunt from Edge of Tomorrow as Shepard"
Me: "Yeah okay, you got me. I'm all the way in."
I still kind of feel that the ME franchise exists in the right medium, but this is extremely well thought out and I would probably look forward to each episode.
Why the fuck would Emily Blunt agree to probably 8 years presumably of a show? That's beneath an A list star and makes no sense.
@@Connor8609 Since 2017 the films she's been in are My Little Pony: The Movie, the two A Quiet place movies written by her husband, the sequel to Gnomeo and Juliet, the Mary Poppins reboot and Jungle Cruise. If she gets the opportunity to play a space hero in a long spanning show with both complex characters and deep thematic relevance, that also pushes the boundaries of both the medium and social constructs, I think that's at least worth considering given the movies she's been a part of for the last 5 years.
Technically the male Shepard would be cannon, but since the games have the option, fem Shepard is one of the few instances that i wouldn't complaint about gender swapping.
Let it be! Fem Shepard, i wouldn't mind, especially with Emily Blunt in the role.
@@Connor8609 Buddy, you have no idea of how big is this franchise in the gaming comunity, aren't you?
Didn't Henry Cavil, the mighty Superman pushed to play as Geralt of Rivia in the Witcher? Why not Emily Blunt as Fem Shepard?
If you think the Witcher is the greatest RPG of all time, you is saddly mistaken, way before the Witcher be a thing, bioware was making its fame with Mass Effect franchise after the HUGE success of kotor games.
Kotor is still regarded as the best RPG of all time but since it is from Star Wars universe, you can only expect Disney would make something with it.
Mass Effect is basically all lessons learned in Kotor, put in a whole new franchise.
Anyone cast as Shepard would be imortalized on the role, the same way you can imagine anyone else aside from Cavil as Geralt of Rivia.
Love Mass Effect and would be fun for a TV series ... also when I watch The Expanse it feels like the closest thing so far
If you are ok with many absolutely banal characters, cringe inducing cliche dialogues and overused personality types, The Expanse is a series for you. I personally love the idea of the show, therefore I gave it chance THREE separate times. Never got past the beginning of the 2nd season.
@@rayhoodoo847 Characters way complex than anything mass effect has
@@rayhoodoo847 Wait so you've seen like 12 episodes and you've completely made up your mind about a 5 season show? Yeah sounds sensible enough, Watching 12 episodes and preaching to strangers on the internet how shit a show is lmfao.
@@ishaan863 . I'm not judging the plot for which 12 episodes would be too little. The plot is ok anyway. But 12 long episodes is completely enough to have a valid impression on the things I talked about.
@@glock7061 I agree, Mass Effect characters suck even more. Most at least.
I've been saying that a TV show is the only thing that can do Mass Effect justice for years. Also, when my day job was political journalism, I'd unwind at night practicing the screenwriting process by adapting Mass Effect. I landed on six seasons of 8 to 10 episodes, and I definitely wrote the scripts up to Virmire. I am going to go dig up those files and look at them. Anyway, good luck and if you end up getting the right attention here, let ya boy send some samples for that room! ;)
This video shows far more care, effort, and dedication to providing a good story and faithful treatment of an i.p. than anything that has come out of Hollywood for at least two decades. I sincerely hope someone with pull sees this and makes your dream a reality! Best wishes!
You know, I love Mass Effect, but I didn't think the writing was strong enough on its own to make for a very compelling TV series in the same way George RR Martin's writing was. But the way you described your version of Shephard and the way each character wrestles with the themes sold me. I need this in my life.
I have to agree. The worldbuilding and atmosphere were really great and phenomenal in the time ME first came out, but the various lore contradictions, retcons (Asari, Ardat-Yakshi, Genophage, Quarian-Geth, etc.) and characters shifts in between ME, ME 2 and ME 3 as well as the last-minute/DLC only lore addition (Javik, Leviathan, etc.) already added a lot of issues in the game series.
This would be a great idea. I think what’s cool is even though many of us have played the game to death and know the story it’s still going to be a mystery what characters live and die and what choices are made. Who will be romanced, who lives/dies will Shepard save the space hamster?
And will Shepard be male or female😂
I just want a Garrus/Tali romance arc. So I feel like the main Romance should be Liara for one and three and Miranda to throw a wrench in things in 2.
Exactly what I want, liara as main romance
@@skylerfoxwell5107 ashley/jack/miranda/liara is the best romance ark
There has to be a space hamster. I'm okay with it escaping a few times, but there has to be a space hamster. It ain't Mass Effect without one in Shepards cabin. ;)
I LOVED to see this video! OMG!!! How much work driven by love! Oh, Michael and team, I love you, guys!
Hope to see a Mass Effect series with your names in the production soon! You all more than deserve it. This video is awesome!
Well done, this was brilliantly made. Now someone get this man at the helm of a Mass Effect series!
I understand you don't want to give a lot away if you're trying to get this project made and mad props to you for the obvious effort you've put into it. But assuming it doesn't work out; I would absolutely die to see a deep dive into your vision for a five season treatment of Mass Effect after all is said and done. It's my favorite series of all time and I can tell you guys did your research and know your stuff when it comes to the nuts and bolts of effective storytelling. Congrats guys! You've got me hooked!
Would love to know how they would handle the... let's say controversial, ending 🤔
yeah, i hope they plan on changing a lot of things in the story. it is not as "simple" as adapting a book, a lot of elements can not be easily transfered
If I was a producer I'd be smashing my head onto the invest button.
I'd love to see a TV Movie that covers the First Contact war, but finding a way to use the end of the movie to introduce Shepard and his/her origin story, even if it's done in such a way that he/she isn't a named character. I think that could be an interesting bridge to a GoT style tv series
that could be cool
I was absolutely on board for a deep dive into your outline when the video disappointingly came to an end - the fastest that twenty minutes have gone by in a while. You display more awareness of how to adapt a video game than any studio executive by far. What makes upur pitch especially interesting is the focus on adapting the setting, plot, characters and themes of the trilogy as opposed to just the superficial aesthetic like so many movies have done.
Suits aren't *really* fans, they're just milking an IP because they know it's guaranteed to get them an audience.
‘Does this unit have a soul?’ The Mass Effect Trilogy is my favorite video game trilogy of all the time. It helped me through a difficult period of my life, falling in love with their characters and the complex deep themes and stories it tells. Game of Thrones is my favorite tv show for the same reason, so it would be such a dream come true to see the trilogy coming alive is such a fascinating way. Thank you Michael, and keep up with the good work!
WOW! Never thought I'd see Mass Effect on this channel, this is freaking dope!
You should watch Story Mode, their other channel.
@@evilbeardedman I know about story mode, I just didn't expect to see an adaptation here
Wishing you the best of luck on this and all future dreams & projects and much love!
I have only just found you and this video from the news of your hiring @Bioware.
And just 19 minutes, I must say I am thrilled that you are going to work on a project you clearly love and are passionate about, because I too love the Mass Effect series deeply and I am genuinely excited and reassured to know someone like you is working to make the best possible project they can.
Thank you
The biggest challenge in adapting Mass Effect into a GoT style show would be to de-center Shaperd as the protagonist. GoT benefited from focusing on a large cast of characters without singling out a specific protagonist, and that was it's greatest strength
Gotta agree, the comparisons made were valid but this is pretty glaring
It can also be a TV show's greatest flaw though, since I fell out of love with it for precisely this reason. After too many characters have been introduced, they start to feel a bit washed out as if the writing has lost focus. I guess it's personal preference.
I don’t think it would be that difficult, Shep’s not where ME’s writing shines 99% of the time. They’re normally just a Mary Sue that provides conclusion. Just give every character more agency in their loyalty missions/side quests.
In Mass Effect 2 something like this already happened with Loyalty Missions, where you focus on individual NPC characters, and you help them out with something to get something. Miranda - The Prodigal, Jacob - The Gift of Greatness, Garrus - An Eye for an Eye, etc. Although you as the gamer help these characters, the reality is they could have done it on their own with other characters without Shepard, this opens the ME show to function a lot more like GoT with different perspectives at different places in the same time frames.
And not to forget: Shepard had to be brought back to life at the start of ME2, and there's more content in between 1 and 2 to fill in without Shepard. Then you got Cerberus, they have back story with the Illusive Man they can play out too.
To be fair, the cast of characters involved are numerous enough to be substantial, but not too much that it can be overbearing...you of course would have Shepard and his crew with their own stories, but you also have Admiral Anderson handling politics on the Citadel, the potential for internal conflict with Saren and Benezia, and in future seasons, a perspective on Cerberus from the Illusive Man.
Phenomenal work! Didn't dawn on me how similar Mass Effect is to Game of Thrones (including a disappointing ending oddly enough). And yeah, totally agree on the TV show direction. I think turning something as deep and expansive as Mass Effect into a 2 hour movie is crazy. It'd be The Last Airbender all over again.
The budget on this thing though would have to be INSANE for it to work. Amazon is spending $465 million on the LOTR show. And I think (given the VFX, makeup and CGI needed) Mass Effect's budget would have to exceed even that! Hopefully the LED panel technology used in The Mandalorian can bring the cost down.
I think the budget requirements would probably be similar to game of thrones. The amount of vfx shots required would be similar I think. Its actually easier to make shots of spaceships feel "real" than what was done in game of thrones, too
@@noxabellus i think the biggest strain on the budget would be cgi or fx makeup for all the aliens. Species like the turian, salarians, and krogan would take a lot of work to make individuals look distinct and emotive, and they all have characters who are central to the plot.
Hey Ross! Glad you enjoyed this video as much I do
@@JP-dw9tv Yeah thats a great point
@@JP-dw9tv At leat the aliens were all designed to work over human skeletal proportions (since the models had to be modularly swapped with human characters), so "guy in rubber suit" technology is a good match. You might have to forego Salarian concave chests or tiny Turian waists, though.
This is seriously one of the best ideas I’ve heard in a long time! Great video! Thank you for posting this
Okay um....How did I not know about your other channel "Story Mode"? I literally re-watch your videos so often and just wish there was more....now I find out: not only is there a treasure trove of content for me to binge but its also about video games? DOG BLESS YOU.
I never knew how much I wanted Dog to bless me before this!
And if people want to play it safe. You can do Game of Thrones but with Dragon Age.
This. I feel like DA2 and Inquisition would do. As much as I love Origins, it feels like it has too much road travelling for a tv show.
@@rachelnicolas4518 Have you seen Game of Thrones? Half of the scenes in the first four seasons are people walking or camping in the countryside.
Dragon Age would do better as a TV show. The fact that each game has a different protagonist would work like GoT. You could start it during the 5th Blight and follow both the Warden and Hawke, and continue with both stories in parallel, especially if it’s a Warden that romances Morrigan and survives the Battle of Denerim, since Morrigan eventually gets involved in Orlesian politics. With the Inquisitor, you’d just have to flesh out their backstory and make them appear seasons earlier. Same with the DA4 protagonist. Introduce Solas earlier, too. They could all tie together due to the Blight, which is ultimately the antagonist of the series, and Flemeth’s machinations.
I the LOTR books they walked for months lol still great movies
Inject Legion referring to itself as “I” after several seasons of buildup directly into my veins.
I appreciate you guys so much
I love how you broke it down. This made my day
Emily Blunt as FemShep is a dream I never knew I had
I knew it since Edge of Tomorrow. Second choice - Stana Katic
My choice is Jessica Henwick
Natalie Dormer already worked on both Game of Thrones and Mass Effect. She's the best choice
@@Naugdil And then make Nathan Fillion, Joker...
This is a really solid pitch. I hope it convinces someone who's connected.
im going to cry this is literally my favorite game series, and i am so glad to hear that true fans are working on the property they love. i wish you the best of luck, and i have true hope that you are able to give mass effect the story it deserves.
This was beautiful.. Hope one day it comes to fruition
If this ever happens I pray they follow the Shepard/Garrus relationship and keep the scene where Mordin warns about the dangers of banging a Turian.
is the only romance option that actually makes sense with fem Shepard...
The Expanse has shown that we now have the technology to make sci-fi look amazing on the small screen and achieve moderate success too. Mass Effect sounds like it would be a great next step for sci-fi tv
We allready had the technology its just a high risk exspencive gamble in sci fi, sci fi shows cost alot to make and their a chance their fail
The CGI isn't the issue. Good CGI is well within a sci-Fi budget, especially a space opera, since "Space CGI" isn't that complex (compared to, say a CGI animal). What makes such a show expensive are the different alien outfits, varying locations and large vistas. To compare, most of the Expanse is shot within fairly contained quarters. And that keeps the budget managable.
@@dee-jay45 that new virtual set tech that was used in The Mandalorian can take care of some of those issues
It looks passable to decent. I wouldnt call it amazing. Battlestar Galactica looked way better.
Here to say I love your channel, been following for years. Recently rewatched SPLIT (2016) and would love to see your channel dissect it!
Imagine they recreate The "leaving earth scene " from ME3 in put it on a serie with The same soundtrack!!! Jeeeeeez
The inclusion of the Mass Effect Andromeda main theme music made me SO HAPPY! I honestly wish you could do this, because it seems like you've already put so much effort and thought into it!
ME:A was a good videogame :-)
how insane would the suicide mission look in high def real imaging !! so much amazing possibilities!!
The Andromeda music at the end really put the button on this. Great work.
I would literally subscribe to an entire streaming service with thousands of garbage shows if only it was the source of your vision for Mass Effedt.
Me: I don't think Mass Effect should ever be adapted. The element of player choice is too important and an adaptation could only ever represent the experience of one playthroug.
You guys: Emily Blunt as Shepard
Me: I think Mass Effect should be adapted
while i do agree that a huge part of the appeal of the ME games is the player choices, i don't think thats really a hurdle for a ME show to worry about. for me, at least, the big thing with the 'branching story' was less about being able to replay the game and get a different story. It was about playing the game and having hte story shape around my choices, my philosophies. it was about me being able to consider the issues presented, and have the story react to that consideration.
a ME TV show would obviously not allow my input on the outcome, but it could still compel the same level of consideration. so i think it'd be ok.
please god no shepard. no existing plot from the games. please. the mass effect universe is so massive. it doesn’t need shepard.
it was has been adapted as Babylon 5
Emily Blunt as Shepard is a big no go. And honestly, i can't imagine a credible femshep with someone else then Scarlett Johanssen. You need an actress with great physical ability (can you imagine Batwoman vs a Yag? it would be like baseball bat vs ping pong ball) and a great register in her acting ( it will be tough job to find an actress with the range of Jennifer Hale). Sorry, the best choice for the moment for a credible Shepard is Henry Cavill. And simply can't imagine Emily Blunt head-butting a Krogan without a rebound. on the other hand, Emily Blunt as Liara ....
Emily Blunt as Liara, and someone like Gwen Christie or Charlize Theron as femshep: tall actresses who can project physicality and with a proven role playing a in-your-face character. A human shaped like Cavill and a human shaped like Theron as she was in The Old Gaurd are equally incapable of headbutting a krogan, that's more or less an in-game joke made possible by cybernetics.
I would think FemShep with a well known actress might be a good way to pad viewership: some of those fans lost because 'that's not my playthrough' could be reclaimed from new folks who were sold on the girl power element.
Also I don't want a show where a live action performer tries to match Mark Meer doing the voice, because that's like starting out saying "I'd like to get a B in this class, not an A+". I want them competing with Hale.
Love this video Michael! Just out of curiosity, how did you guys envision adapting Mass Effect 2? I love it but I couldn’t imagine how to break all that down into a satisfying narrative when most of it is about introducing characters and then doing stuff for them, outside of the Collector threat.
Keep up the great work!
Since this video was released i keep comimg back because it makes me smile see others share this kind of passion and love for the detail. Goddess, I hope some PA or bored intern at Legendary watch this soon
I'm still convinced that the Henry Cavill thing is more likely him getting a role in the upcoming game sequel but I'm up for anything
Which sequel
@@jmo5755 the one that was teased at game awards
@@Icepick614 oh the game?
@@jmo5755 yes sorry for the lack of clarification
@@Icepick614 don't apologize, every human being with living neurons could easily understand your message (even considering I don't even speak english).
And yes, that would make sense... I honestly don't want a ME movie, I rather prefer nothing.
I was sold on the idea of Mass Effect being a television series before I even clicked on the video. Now I'm going to be straight up sad that this probably wont ever exist. This is some really amazing work.
Also, Emily Blunt as Fem Shep is an inspired choice. Great frame of reference, and honestly, I think she could work perfectly as is.
Oh my god please, PLEASE do this! You two by far have had the best understanding and ideas when it comes to actually putting something like this together. I would do whatever it took to support the crap out of this! If you are able to get this to those next stages I would suggest looking at some of the camera and lighting crew from the expanse show, they have done a tremendous job when it comes to getting that real space feel and I think it would be perfect for this. Regardless you just got yourself a new sub, can't wait to watch more of your content!
Also, I think a ME movie would only be good for something like the First Contact war or for telling Anderson's story of trying to become a Spectre and all the things Saren did.
Brilliant. Please pushing forward.
"We want Mass Effect to be the next Game of Thrones... ... but, ya know, with a better ending."
That singlehandedly warrants a like and comment for the algorithm.
But did they mean the GoT or MA3 ending? ;)
ME3's ending was mishandled.
GoT's last season was whole other level of aweful. Not sure if I have seen a show have as much of a drop in quality.
@@charlietwoteas3676 Yes
@kshamwhizzle Agreed, I would even throw some of season 6 in there. Once they ran out of books to adapt it went to shit fast.
Agreed. ME3's e doing is I famous, but unlike GoT, it didn't ruin the characters or the world. Playing ME Legendary edition was a blast to revisit. I cant even get .myself to rewatch GoT's earlier episodes despite how good they are due to knowing how it all doesnt matter much in the end.
It sounds to me like HBO is waiting for your voice to be heard. This is an amazing pitch!
Congrats on joining the Mass Effect team! This video and your adaptation efforts probably had a lot to do with it :D
This could be awesome with the first 5 minutes being a prologue of Humanity discovering the Prothean ruins on Mars before cutting to a title card/a text screen explaining the first contact war or maybe even a young Shepard watching the news and seeing the First Contact War
Ending: ‘What unites people? Is it a good story? Bran has one.’
Viewers: ‘We should go.’
Tyrion: "I should have pushed the Democracy button..."
Bran died, the three eyed raven took his body and wargd/skinchanged his way to the kingdom. The whitewalkers tried to stop it happening but well y'know
@@KeithFraser82 or the Whopper Button.
"Who has a better story, than Bran the Broken?"
"Shepard."
"Wrex."
Bran being King made sense, but the show never shows you why. Every King plunges the land into chaos for greed, love, fear, or being manipulated. Bran has no desires, he cant be manipulated because he knows everything, and he's a fair person at heart.
BioWare really did an unbelievable job with the world of Mass Effect. I just love existing in that world, with all the politics and moral philosophy and interesting characters... You're completely correct that TV would be the better format for an adaptation.
Except for Andromeda... Andromeda is a piece of garbage.
Dude..this is it. Such a nice tight knit way to put it
My goodness y'all are awesomely talented! I do hope the right people see this and bring you in so you can run with this idea
you guys should contact henry and the directors and whoever needs the pitch
I’ve always thought HBO should pick up mass effect, it’s cool to feel validated 😁
Mass Effect has been one of those life changing stories for me that has taught me so much about so many things. I feel like this game raised me, showed me the kind of relationships i want to have, showed me how to psuh through and persereave and my personal life motto of "Invictus" comes from the first time i heard Ash say that snippet to Shep in ME3 and that poem has taken me through some of the harshest moments in my life and watching this game turn into a show which gets to be appluaded for how amazing it is would be something i would absoutely love to see.
Jessica Chastain would be one hell of a FemShep imo.
dragon age: *looking forlorn like kermit from that one meme where he’s looking out a frosty window*
Underrated comment. Dragon age would make for a much better successor to Thrones too.
I'm just waiting for DA4! I got a egghead elf I need to wreck!
@@KaterynaM_UA most people would be distrustful of yet another medieval fantasy story being sold to them. Not that Dragon Age's story and lore is bad, but it just wouldn't market well
@@Lomaxxx53 not really. Witcher generated a lot of buzz and a lot of profits even young adult show Shadow and bone went out with quite a bang considering there is not much to its source material. It's also the reason Amazon dropping crazy money on that LOTR show no one really asked for. People are salivating for this niche to be filled.
@@KaterynaM_UA nah... i can't bare watch ANOTHER medieval fantasy, also, the witcher tv show is CRAP compared with the games (and still is watchable).
Those diversity quota bs ruined the show, "black elves", older and ugly Triss, imature Yennifer (and by the way, the actress isn't nearly as beautifull as the Yennifer from the games, seriously, CDPR made a wonderful job in making a desirable female character out of outdated graphics of the witcher 3 engine), the ONLY good thing in the Witcher is Cavil and the story itself.
All the rest is BS.
The real problem is make it a Mass Effect tv show right, you don't need gender / race swaping characters the ONLY exception is John / Jane Shepard because both already exist, the game already allow you play as male or female.
Also, Dragon Age have a good story and lore, but i don't think it is good enough to be adapted, theres hundreads of other great medieval fantasy that could be made in series, some even from videogames like Baldur's Gate...
And again, we don't need another fantasy series, most people didn't even watch all those who already exist, most folks aren't even excited with the LoTR show that is coming, and this says a lot.
What folks REALLY want is a NEW STAR WARS, and this NEW Star Wars is MASS EFFECT (or Kotor that also is from Star Wars universe).
Love the Alt Shift X call out
Amazing, one can only dream about a project this size getting made by people as passionet and thoughtful as Lessons from the Screenplay.
I love this so much. I would love for them to make a Mass Effect TV show. Looking at what you said, even the Normandy itself ties into the dramatic question and the theme. The Normandy is a state-of-the-art stealth cruiser developed by a joint task force of Humans and Turians. I'm reminded of that bit in the first Mass Effect game when you go to the citadel at one point and an Alliance officer wants to examine the Normandy. If you prod him a bit he will reveal that he thinks it's a huge mistake. For what it cost to develop the stealth drive for the Normandy, the Alliance could have built 1000 dreadnoughts.
That in itself is representative of the conflict. Should humanity work with aliens to build more ships like the Normandy, or channel their resources into bolstering their own military.
The world is so deep and rich I feel like Mass Effect could be a brilliant TV show.
Man I really hope whoever has the ME rights give you guys a call. It is pretty clear to me that if you had the opportunity we would be gifted with an amazing show.
Fantastic vision you presented!
Absolutely! I am very grateful for you both!
I needed this out, like yesterday!