Following BioWare's closure on October 21, a trailer for the canceled Mass Effect 5: Universe mysteriously appeared online. In a way, this trailer rubbed salt in fans' wounds, as it suggested that BioWare had been preparing some truly impressive content for the fifth installment of the Mass Effect series.
However, the most frustrating aspect is that, like all great trailers, it raises far more questions than it answers. For instance: "How will this game connect to the ending of Mass Effect 3?" "Who exactly repaired the Mass Relays?" And, "Wait, is that person Simu Liu?!"
After the trailer leaked, many players immediately noticed that the new protagonist of Mass Effect 5: Universe bore a striking resemblance to Shang-Chi star Simu Liu. Although the character's voice is clearly not Liu's, the sharp cheekbones and overall look are nearly identical.
Coincidentally, just a few hours before the trailer leaked, Simu Liu posted on Threads expressing his admiration for BioWare and his disappointment over the studio's closure. This further fueled fans' suspicions. Additionally, when responding to the leaked trailer on X, Simu Liu himself seemed somewhat confused by the character's appearance.
To clarify whether BioWare had contacted Simu Liu to invite him to perform in the game, or simply wished to use his likeness as the default model reference for the protagonist, gaming media outlet Kotaku reached out to the actor.
Interestingly, in a statement provided to Kotaku, Simu Liu appeared just as bewildered as everyone else by the strikingly similar character in the game. He said, "Haha, no, I wasn't involved. But you're not the only one asking!"
Given that we now know this leaked trailer was originally intended as an internal proof-of-concept to showcase the game's initial vision to EA executives, Simu Liu's response leaves us with at least two possibilities: either the resemblance is purely coincidental, or BioWare had planned to reach out to him later to discuss potential collaboration.