One of the most surprising occurrences in entertainment over the past few years has been the rapid rise in the quality of video game adaptations. Shows and movies based on games used to be punchlines. Now they’re some of the hottest properties in Hollywood. The streaming services have found success with video game TV shows as well, and Prime Video plans to continue that trend with a new original series based on the Mass Effect games.
According to Variety, Amazon MGM Studios tapped Daniel Casey (F9: The Fast Saga) to write and executive produce the Mass Effect series. Further executive producers include Cedar Tree Productions’ Karim Zreik, BioWare’s Michael Gamble, and Ari Arad.
Word of a Mass Effect adaptation from Amazon began to spread in 2021, but as Variety notes, the trail had gone cold until the developments this week.
The report didn’t include details about the plot, so we do not know if it will be a direct adaptation or simply draw inspiration from the games. The original Mass Effect trilogy follows Commander Shepard and a group of soldiers in the 22nd century as they try to save the human race from aliens known as Reapers. In the universe of the games, humans have discovered faster-than-light travel and made contact with a wide variety of alien civilizations.
The first three games in the series were released between 2007 and 2012, drawing widespread acclaim for developer BioWare. After a short hiatus, Mass Effect: Andromeda revived the series with a standalone story that takes place centuries in the future. The reception wasn’t nearly as positive, and the franchise has been dormant ever since.
Following the success of Fallout earlier this year, it’s no surprise that Amazon wants to continue forging ahead with video game shows. Prime Video recently premiered Yakuza: Like a Dragon, which is also based on a long-running Japanese game series.
