The Mass Effect sci-fi fantasy video game franchise is officially getting the television treatment, courtesy of Amazon MGM Studios. After getting announced last year, fans of one of the most popular fantasy role-playing games of all time can finally learn who is spearheading the ambitious endeavor for Amazon. Mass Effect follows Commander Shepard, the leader of a diverse group of soldiers tasked with saving the Milky Way Galaxy from an ancient machine race called the Reapers. According to Deadline, Amazon MGM Studios has recruited Doug Jung (Star Trek Beyond, Chief of War) to serve as the showrunner behind their live-action Mass Effect adaptation. He will be working alongside Daniel Casey (F9: The Fast Saga), who is a writer and executive producer on the series. No casting or plot details have been reported, but it seems Mass Effect has been moving along quickly in recent months. After the smash-hit success of Fallout, Amazon seems keen on expanding their video game adaptation portfolio, which also includes Yakuza: Like a Dragon.

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It is unclear which Mass Effect game the series will be based on, but Amazon has the original trilogy, and the divisive 2017 follow-up, Mass Effect: Andromeda, to pull from. The tricky part is the fact that each installment is emboldened by freedom of player choice, which can directly affect the outcome of the main story. Additionally, Commander Shepard is a highly customizable character and does not have a signature “look” to be modeled after. That said, if Amazon could pull off Fallout, which has similar RPG elements, then the character-driven nature of Mass Effect should be right in their wheelhouse.
What Is ‘Mass Effect’ About?

BioWare

Mass Effect, in broad terms, could become a Game of Thrones-level fantasy drama for Amazon (and presumably Prime Video) if executed correctly. In addition to being an action-packed adventure through space, it is a layered, mature narrative that involves a wide range of characters and locales. It also includes a lot of sex, but that’s beside the point. The Mass Effect trilogy relies on players making tough decisions and sacrifices, meaning a serialized version could feature just as many heartbreaking twists and deaths. Above all, Mass Effect features a strong sci-fi premise that immediately sets the stage for an epic journey with galaxy-wide consequences. Centered on Commander Shepard, the story follows a group of special forces soldiers that become the “tip of the spear” for humanity, who must fight an ancient alien force that reappears every 50,000 years. Check the official description for the original 2007 video game title:
The galaxy is trapped in an endless cycle of extinction. Every 50,000 years, an ancient machine race invades with ruthless efficiency, wiping out all advanced organic civilization. They leave behind only the scattered ruins of technology, and they destroy all evidence of their own existence.
Few believe this ancient legend. You, however, know it to be true. The fight to stop this extinction event has become the most important mission in the galaxy.
And it is your mission. As Commander Shepard of the SS Normandy, take your elite recon squad across a galaxy in turmoil in a desperate race to stop the return of an enemy without mercy. To stop this enemy, you must act without remorse, without hesitation, and outside the limits of the law. Your only imperative is to preserve the safety of civilized life in the galaxy—and at any cost. You must become the tip of the spear of humanity, for you alone know the full extent of what is at stake if you fail.
Source: Deadline