Rumor: Austin Wintory shares music he says he developed during Mass Effect talks

Composer Austin Wintory has shared a roughly 22-minute video of Mass Effect musical ideas on his YouTube channel. Its description says he spent the previous couple of years discussing a possible role on the next game with BioWare and EA. That is his account of those conversations, rather than a company announcement appointing him as composer.

What he made

Wintory says he surprised the team in 2025 with almost 20 minutes of music recorded with synthesizers, vocals and a large orchestra in Los Angeles. His proposed starting point was Jack Wall and Sam Hulick’s score for the original game, building on it with more analog synthesizers and a closer integration of orchestral writing.

There is a distinction between exploratory work during discussions and an approved, commissioned game score. Wintory says he had not learned the planned story when he made this material. It explored a musical direction rather than accompanying scenes provided by the developers.

Sometimes an idea that never reached a game still deserves a place in the series’ memory.

What it tells us

The upload follows the closure of BioWare and cancellation of the next Mass Effect, adding material the composer chose to release himself. IGN’s report likewise describes drafts emerging from early discussions. Neither EA nor BioWare has confirmed that this music was intended for inclusion in the game.

Fans can now hear the direction Wintory wanted to propose. The track titles in the video description are not evidence of the game’s planned plot or characters, and should not be treated as clues to the canceled sequel.