Trent Oster, co-founder of BioWare, stated that reviving the canceled Mass Effect 5 would cost more than $200 million. Any party interested and legally able to move the project forward would need substantial financial resources.
These remarks came after EA had already shut down BioWare and canceled Mass Effect 5. Players subsequently launched a "Save Mass Effect" campaign, hoping to give the series another chance at development.
This player-led initiative has two main goals: first, to urge EA to commit to continued funding for the series; and second, to push EA to sell or license the relevant intellectual property so that other developers can take over. The related petition on Change.org has already garnered over 300,000 signatures.
However, the available information does not provide a complete breakdown of how the $200 million figure was estimated. Oster's comments suggest that even if the intellectual property were handed over to another developer, the required funding remains a significant barrier.