Commander Shepard actors Jennifer Hale & Mark Meer mourn BioWare: 'It was in the hands of ownership that may not have understood what BioWare fully is''

As reported by IGN, veteran actors Jennifer Hale and Mark Meer, who voiced the female and male Commanders Shepard in Mass Effect, respectively, directly addressed fans of the series in an October 21 Instagram Live. The two reflected on BioWare, and commiserated over its tragic fate. Here are some highlights from each I pulled from the stream:

Both actors' reactions strike me as so characteristic of their respective backgrounds: Hale is one of the voices of videogames (not to diminish Meer's own extensive resume). She jumped to BioWare's place in the industry and its current crisis. Meer, a standby of the Edmonton theater and improv scene, fixated on the closure's effects on this city he clearly loves.

Both are 100% correct about the collective joy and meaning people found in BioWare's work. That's something private equity can't take from us ⁠—at least not with current technology.

As for Hale's optimism regarding the rights and potential future of the franchise, well, …