Recently, EA shut down BioWare and cancelled the development of Mass Effect 5. Some fans have requested that Palworld developer Pocketpair purchase the Mass Effect IP from EA. Pocketpair executives stated that the company received nearly 30 related direct messages or emails in just the past day, but IP transactions are far more complex than fans imagine.
John "Bucky" Buckley, Head of Communications and Publishing at Pocketpair, stated that whenever a game is cancelled or a studio shuts down, the company receives numerous comments and emails requesting them to purchase the relevant IP. A few months later, some of these voices turn into "Why didn't you buy it? You clearly have the money." When discussing the recent requests related to Mass Effect, he jokingly remarked that Jade Empire might pique his interest more.
Buckley explained that IP holders often have no intention of selling; even if they are willing to negotiate, the asking price may be unreasonably high compared to the IP's potential value. While some companies do attempt to purchase or license game IPs to continue works that have been cancelled or discontinued, there is little external companies can do if the rights holders are unwilling to cooperate.
There is currently no evidence to suggest that EA is willing to sell the Mass Effect IP, nor can it be determined whether a potential transaction price would be reasonable. Palworld and its spin-off projects also differ significantly from the large-scale RPGs that Mass Effect excels at. At this stage, this matter remains a wish expressed by fans and a response from Pocketpair executives regarding the obstacles to such a deal, and does not indicate that the company has actually proposed an acquisition.